A spotlight on the market potential for Zero-Emission Catenary Hybrid Trucks in Southern California’s Freight Industry
In densely populated urban areas, especially those with poor air quality like the South Coast Air Basin, there’s a growing push for heavy-duty diesel trucks to achieve lower emissions. Regulatory bodies like the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), California Air Resources Board (CARB), and Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) are advocating for a shift towards zero and near-zero emission vehicles to meet federal air quality standards. This includes proposals for zero-emission truck lanes in major transportation plans and requirements for zero-emission technologies in projects like the Southern California International Gateway (SCIG) and the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF).
With diesel prices rising and stricter fuel economy standards, there’s increased interest in alternative technologies like hybrid drive trains. A promising approach is the Zero-Emission Truck & Electric Catenary Highway (ZETECH) technology, which combines hybrid-electric trucks with access to overhead catenary power, offering a potential solution that addresses both emissions and fuel economy without compromising operational flexibility or cost of ownership. This technology, based on well-understood and existing hybrid technologies, could significantly impact the local market, which has a potential size of up to 46,000 trucks in the South Coast Air Basin alone. Catenary hybrid vehicles offer unlimited zero-emission range when connected to the catenary system and can also operate on natural gas, eliminating diesel emissions. This makes them a flexible and economically viable option for regions requiring low-emission operations and fleets needing to comply with strict emissions regulations.
