Report: Fully Electric Infrastructure to Cost Almost $1 Trillion

New research calculates it will cost nearly $1 trillion to build out infrastructure ready to handle full electrification of medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. 

The March 18 report from Roland Berger, commissioned by the Clean Freight Coalition, estimates it would cost $620 billion to build out the charging infrastructure and another $370 billion to upgrade grid networks across the country. 

That figure does not consider the cost of the actual vehicles which, according to the survey, can be more than double or triple the price of a comparable diesel truck. 

The report notes a need for “greater cross-industry collaboration” in order to make the continued drive towards electrification as smooth as possible. 

“Electrification means focusing on the vehicle segments that are easier first; it means that we have to look at how fleets operate and potentially adjust; it means that we need better cooperation and planning across industries and governments; and it requires an openness to alternative technology paths to decarbonizing the heavy-duty segment,” stated Dr. Wilfried Aulbur, Roland Berger senior partner.