The Role of Electric Trucks in Future Accident Trends

The US electric truck industry generated $730 million in 2023 and is expected to grow by 54.3% by 2023, with California likely to dominate with a market share of 35%. Despite industry growth, only 13,000 electric trucks are still on the road in the US as of 2024. This is out of a total of 12.2 million trucks overall.

In recent years, there has been a major push by auto manufacturers to develop electric trucks. Major companies like Tesla, Rivian, Volvo, and Ford have unveiled electric truck models they plan to bring to market in the coming years. These electric trucks aim to provide traditional diesel trucks’ power and hauling capacity while producing zero emissions. As electric truck technology improves and costs decrease, experts predict there will eventually be a major transition from diesel trucks in the commercial sector. This transition could dramatically impact road safety and accident trends.

How Electric Trucks Could Improve Safety

Proponents of electric trucks argue they have the potential to improve road safety in a number of ways significantly. First, electric trucks accelerate more smoothly than large diesel trucks, meaning they are less likely to lose control. As Anderson Injury Lawyers, experienced Dallas truck accident attorneys, can attest, sudden acceleration is a factor in many truck accidents. Second, electric trucks have a lower center of gravity thanks to their battery pack layout. This makes them less prone to rollovers, which are especially deadly in truck accidents – around 4.3% of fatal trailer/truck accidents are caused by a rollover; most of these (78%) are due to driver error.

Electric trucks also utilize regenerative braking, which uses the electric motor to slow the vehicle and recharge the battery. This provides smooth, consistent braking power. Trucks with worn brakes or overweight loads can suffer from brake failure so regenerative braking could mitigate this issue.

Potential New Hazards

Some experts argue that electric trucks come with their own new hazards. First, electric trucks are very heavy due to their large battery packs, which can weigh as much as 2,900 pounds. This added weight could increase the severity of some collisions. There are also concerns that the lack of engine noise could lead to more accidents with pedestrians and cyclists who don’t hear the trucks coming.

There are also questions about battery fires following major collisions – US Transportation Safety Board data shows there are 25 fires per 100,000 EVs sold. Electric vehicle fires burn hotter and longer than gas vehicle fires on average. Electric truck batteries are very large, so a battery fire following an accident could be difficult for first responders to contain. More research is needed to determine best practices for containing battery fires in large electric trucks.

The Need for Testing and Standards

Since electric trucks are still new technology, there are no comprehensive studies on their crashworthiness and risks. As electric trucks become more common on roadways, thorough safety testing and standards development will be critical. So far, companies like Tesla have done basic crash testing on their electric truck models, but detailed, independent testing is still needed.

With diligence across all sectors, electric trucks may usher in a new era of cleaner, safer freight transport.