A fresh future with great new opportunities for medium-duty fleets is right within our grasp. Trucking will no doubt continue to be an integral part of today’s economy and transportation industry, with a need for efficient delivery in urban areas along with last-mile delivery demands.
From medium duty parts to trends in the industry, here’s what to expect in the near future in this market.
Switching to Electric
All-electric vans and trucks are becoming more than a dream, and this is just as true for medium-duty trucks as any other type of vehicle. This switch will likely start with Tesla’s Class 7 vehicle model, which is designed for light regional and urban routes with a daily charge range falling somewhere between 200-300 miles. A variety of other OEMs such as Mercedes-Benz and Mitsubishi Fuso are also working toward an all-electric future.
It’s not entirely clear how electric technology will actually be deployed in medium-duty trucks in the U.S. and Canada. However, we’ll likely see hybrid vehicles running on a mixture of electric and other types of fuel including diesel until the full transition is made.
Improved Safety
Another innovation in medium-duty trucks that we’re likely to see in the near future is a continued emphasis on safety systems. Trucks are starting to utilize the types of safety systems that we see in passenger cars, including roll-over airbag systems and camera systems along with in-cab systems designed to help coach drivers. These changes make complete sense considering the large amounts of medium-duty traffic we see today.
Maintaining Cost-Effectiveness
Ultimately, the main goal for medium-duty fleets is to maintain efficiency of operation along with cost-effectiveness. In the future, we’re likely to see costs increase as fleet management continues to require replacement parts that are manufactured in foreign countries and tariffs increase. However, the quality of those parts could improve over time, resulting in a future in which vehicles are designed to last longer while being more sustainable.
All of these aspects will continue to impact the medium-duty trucking industry as we see a move toward energy-efficiency and sustainable solutions. Keeping this in mind, you can keep up with the latest industry trends and make sure your fleet and management practices don’t fall behind and become outdated.