Health and Climate Impacts from Long-Haul Truck Electrification

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Public Health
• Transportation Engineering

Background:

• Policy support for long-haul truck electrification is growing, but its health and climate effects are not fully understood.
• Assessing the impacts requires a detailed understanding of the entire system, from truck operation to grid response and atmospheric changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-resolution integrated assessment model for evaluating the health and climate impacts of electrified trucking in the U.S.
• To compare the impacts of electrified trucks versus future diesel trucks under different electricity grid scenarios.

Main Methods:

• An integrated assessment approach with kilometer and hourly resolution was employed.
• The model traced impacts from truck operations and charging loads to grid response, emissions, atmospheric concentrations, and subsequent health and climate effects.
• Scenarios included a business-as-usual grid and an 80% renewable electricity grid.

Main Results:

• Net health benefits of electrified trucking are currently limited to the West Coast with a business-as-usual grid.
• An 80% renewable electricity grid shifts net health benefits to most U.S. regions.
• Economic value of avoided damages exceeds $5 billion annually with a renewable grid, representing an 80% reduction compared to diesel trucks.
• Larger batteries can increase impacts due to payload penalties, but improved specific energy (∼320 Wh/kg) can mitigate this.

Conclusions:

• The electricity grid's carbon intensity is crucial for realizing the health and climate benefits of electrified trucking.
• Transitioning to a renewable electricity grid maximizes the positive impacts of truck electrification.
• Advancements in battery technology are essential for overcoming payload limitations and maximizing benefits.