Pure electric trucks demonstrate long-haul potential: NACFE 'Messy Middle' real-world test report reveals cost and performance inflection points

During a demonstration run last September, a Windrose sleeper truck operated by Joyride Logistics covered more than 400 miles over multiple days and completed an 875-mile long-haul trip with strategic charging planning. The truck was one of several battery-electric tractors in the North American Council for Freight Efficiency's (NACFE) "Run on Less – Messy Middle" event, which aimed to evaluate the real-world performance of vehicles with various powertrains, including diesel.

NACFE noted in its report: "Battery-electric vehicles are already suitable for port operations, many regional distribution routes, and emerging long-haul applications on corridors with suitable terrain and infrastructure." The report also emphasized that long-haul operations require ultra-high-power charging facilities every 200 to 300 miles along freight corridors.

According to NACFE's operational report released in March, Joyride's tractor-trailer demonstrated how carriers can use regenerative braking, high-power DC fast charging, and partial charging strategies to transport goods across five states between California and Texas. The vehicle's payload ranged from approximately 40,000 pounds to nearly 82,000 pounds, ultimately achieving an average of 409 miles per active day.

Kemal Balihodzic, Executive Vice President of JoyRide Logistics, told Trucking Dive: "Our electric fleet is still in the testing phase; we don't want to overpromise." Battery-electric vehicles account for less than 10% of the company's 250 power units. Although the company intends to increase this proportion, scaling up depends on dedicated contracts and long-term commitments with shippers.

Cost analysis: Purchase premium and infrastructure investment

The main factors driving up the total cost of ownership for battery-electric trucks include the vehicle price itself and limited infrastructure. Currently, battery-electric trucks are priced at a premium over diesel trucks, but this gap may gradually narrow. According to NACFE's total cost of ownership report released in April, as of last year, battery-electric trucks cost about 2.5 times as much as diesel trucks, but this could drop to less than 2 times by 2028; by 2035, battery-electric trucks could even be cheaper than traditional power units.

The report states: "Battery-electric truck costs are falling sharply, from roughly $425,000 today to an estimated $300,000 by 2028, and then to below $230,000 by 2035. This trend is driven not only by cheaper battery packs but also by a shift in manufacturing strategies." The report adds that original equipment manufacturers such as Tesla and Windrose are driving equipment standardization, thereby reducing costs.

Beyond the higher purchase price, the cost analysis also involves factors such as residual value, infrastructure costs (including public charging usage), all of which are included in the cost per mile. Additionally, NACFE expects that by 2035, vehicles manufactured in China will enter the U.S. market.

Balihodzic said: "I think there's still a long way to go. Diesel still has a clear advantage because it can cover long distances, refueling is more convenient, range is longer, and infrastructure is more developed."

Hours-of-service regulations can also pose obstacles, especially when charging takes up to 45 minutes. To comply with federal driver regulations, the company used mobile charging stations in its parking lots. Balihodzic said that changing this situation would require massive investment in infrastructure. He also mentioned that the company is still waiting for the Tesla Semi it ordered in 2017.

The Arizona-based carrier, half of whose business comes from Amazon, aims to operate 300 trucks by the end of this year, according to Balihodzic.

Performance evaluation: Performance under real-world conditions

Although manufacturers can list equipment range, demonstration runs aim to measure actual performance under real-world fleet conditions. NACFE said in its operational report: "These were not controlled demonstrations on carefully selected routes. Drivers transported commercial freight on regular schedules, encountered real traffic and weather, payloads ranged from about 38,000 pounds to over 80,000 pounds, and charging timing depended on infrastructure and operational dwell times, not ideal conditions."

The NACFE report found that these real-world conditions often led to discrepancies between advertised range and actual performance.

Route planning was common among the fleets studied: 4Gen Logistics charged during port queues, dwell times, and shift changes; Saia deployed two Tesla Semis in the event for local and long-haul less-than-truckload operations, with charging on short routes similar to diesel trucks detouring for fuel. NACFE noted that in such cases, "charging was largely absorbed into existing dwell times at warehouses and facilities."

The demonstration routes also avoided sustained mountain passes, encountering only a few grades of 6% or more. Matt Copot, Vice President of Fleet Management at Saia, said in the report that the company evaluates "what makes sense from a business case perspective, where the technology exists, and how we can leverage these technologies, especially emerging ones, and help customers reduce miles and increase utilization."

NACFE noted that the most successful deployments involved "flat to rolling terrain, return-to-base or corridor operations, moderate daily mileage, cube-limited freight, and access to warehouse and corridor fast charging. Under these conditions, battery-electric trucks operate as working assets, not demonstration vehicles."

The report also concluded that battery-electric truck technology is at an inflection point: "Battery-electric trucks have moved past the demonstration phase for regional applications and are entering viable long-haul service on selected corridors. However, terrain sensitivity and infrastructure dependence require corridor-specific validation."