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Ready for a Long-Term Relationship?

image credit: Copyright by NACFE in 2022

David Schaller 7,350

Industry Engagement Director, North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE)

Electric/hybrid MD & HD commercial trucks are just entering the marketplace. With over 3 decades of experience introducing new technologies to the trucking industry, it is a pleasure to be...

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Feb 20, 2023Feb 19, 2023 3:05 am GMT
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How did your current long-term relationship start? At a gathering with beverages? Maybe a shared meal? Possibly sought out on-line?

So how will your new long-term relationship with truck electrification start? Have you shared a meal or beverages with people in the trucking industry? Have you started looking on-line? What are you waiting for?

Truck show season has begun again for 2023. The largest gathering of technical wizards in the trucking industry will occur in Orlando at the TMC: Technology & Maintenance Council meetings and exhibits. The Work Truck Show and Green Truck Summit is also rapidly approaching in Indianapolis. I will be there leading a panel discussion: Power Management and Electrical Integration on Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs): Upfitting Considerations and Challenges.

The most likely truck show for many in the utility industry to attend is the ACT Expo in Anaheim, California. This show focuses on alternative fueled trucks and has grown from pre-pandemic audience of roughly 3,000 to last year with nearly 9,000! The exhibit hall is loaded with EV trucks and charging systems. At least a dozen utilities were there last year. If you boss will let you travel to one show, this is the one.

If you want to focus on a portion of the truck industry that wants to be green in the eyes of customers, go to Orlando and attend the NPTC National Private Truck Council. These companies own numerous trucks but are not trucking companies. Think of Walmart, Pepsi, Serwin Williams, Bob Evans and many more. They are customer facing companies that want a sparkling image with consumers.

These are but a tiny fraction of the possible truck shows every year. NACFE is working with the leadership of Transmission and Distribution world on a day long workshop in August for truck fleets and utilities to come together. Join us in Sacramento.

It takes effort to start a long-term relationship. Waiting for a truck fleet to ask for 5 megawatts might not be the best way to have a successful future together. We need to have a few meals and drinks to get to know each other. The trucking industry is starting to attend utility conferences, and I have been there with them. Have you been to a truck conference? 2023 is the time to start!

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Matt Chester on Feb 20, 2023

Thanks for the overview, David-- sounds like a lot of great opportunities in the works! In your experience, how much does what happens at these shows end up moving the needle?

David Schaller on Feb 20, 2023

The industry is changing and attending a show is a great way to learn about what is changing. For example, I joined the trucking industry to engineer the first electronic control systems for diesel engines in the mid-1980s. There were no new truck OEMs for the first 30 years of my career. In the last 5 years the number of OEMs has doubled because of new battery electric only OEMs.

Many of these shows have educational tracks where attendees can learn about changes, benefits and challenges. The real opportunity is to NETWORK! Stay after a great presentation and talk with the people that got your attention. Walk the exhibit hall and connect with leaders at companies that might be part of your future.

As someone that attends lots of live industry events for both trucking and utility companies, I offer one very basic suggestion: take LOTS of business cards. It is amazing how many people don't bring any cards or bring far too few.

The needle is moving. Ask yourself if your organization is keeping up and prepared for the changes already starting to happen.

David Schaller on Mar 2, 2023

Matt, the needle has already moved. There were over half a dozen booths at the TMC show this week with EVSE stands as part of their exhibit. There is a shortage of components for gas and diesel commercial trucks right now, just as there is for passenger cars. That probably isn't surprising to anyone. What is sticking to many is that since there are nearly a dozen new battery electric only OEMs, anyone that needs a truck fast can get an EV truck FASTER than they can receive an ICE truck!

TMC has numerous breakouts to set new recommended practices for the industry. They have strong education tracks as well.

Hope to see some utilities in Indianapolis next week. Didn't meet a single one in Orlando for TMC.

David Treichler on Mar 1, 2023

Oncor joined NACFE this year to support their Run on Less Electric Depot study and one of our team members will be a speaker at their Electric Fleet Truck Bootcamp to help trucking customers better understand how, when and why they should reach out their utilities early. NACFE, in our estimation, is the most authoritative voice for fleet electrification and encourage other utilities to engage with Dave and his team mates. We have been attending ACT Expo for the last four years and have learned much about this industry there. This next year we will be attending more of these events to build more domain expertise and relationships.

David Schaller on Mar 17, 2023

Thanks for the support David. If other utilities want to learn about electric trucks, the largest show for this focus area is ACT Expo in Los Angeles. For a registration discount use code 23NACFE50. Expecting close to 10,000 people this year. Think DistribuTech for trucking.

Thank David for the Post!

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