The Future Is Now
ZEV, BEV, FCEV
Mikal Ann Byrd, Special Programs Manager
The future is now…or at least it is coming soon to a dealership near you!
Every industry has jargon that is familiar to insiders but sounds like gobbledygook to the rest of the world. The trucking industry is no different and terms are being added as we move toward electrification. Here are a few new acronyms that you may have run across already.
ZEV – Zero Emission Vehicle
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) introduced the term “Zero-Emission Vehicles” in their Advanced Clean Car and Advanced Clean Truck standards. CARB’s goal is to reduce and eventually eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by setting tail-pipe regulations that result in a transformation away from petroleum. These regulations are being adopted by 14 other states and the District of Columbia.
BEV – Battery Electric Vehicle
Kenworth manufactures three BEVs: the T680e, K270, and K370. These trucks are powered only by electricity so there are no fuel tanks or exhaust pipes. The length of time required to charge the battery is determined by the number of kilowatt-hours (KWh) it can store and the size of charger used. We’ll dive more into charging in a future post.
FCEV – Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle
FCEVs are sometimes referred to as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Kenworth describes this future technology as combining “hydrogen gas and air to produce electricity, with water as the only emissions byproduct.” According to the Energy Information Administration, hydrogen fuel cells can be two to three times more efficient than an internal combustion engine. However, FCEVs present the classic “chicken or egg” conundrum: manufacturers don’t want to build FCEVs because there are no fueling stations and companies won’t commit to building fueling stations because there are no FCEVs.
I’ll make sure to define the acronyms and terms as new aspects of this topic are introduced. And by the way, gobbledygook is a real word! I looked it up.
Have questions about a term or acronym? Send them to me at mbyrd@kwsco.com. Put “EV Question” in the subject line. I am excited to bring you along on this road trip to the future!
