VESTAL, N.Y. — Getting from point A to point B without having to use a single ounce of fuel could be the future of trucking, and Mark Stone from Burr Truck is at the helm. The Southern Tier company is the first in the state to distribute zero-emission Workhorse trucks.
"It's amazing how far we come with this technology. And I know there's a lot of naysayers out there against this technology until they get in it. And then once they get in it, they realize this has everything plus more than what any gas- or diesel-powered unit will do for them today,” said Stone, Burr’s corporate general manager.
While the technology may be new, it’s already growing in popularity.
"If you go to truck stops today, you will see at the love centers and all the other truck stops, you will see battery chargers at those locations. The infrastructures continually being built out every single day,” said Stone.
The medium-duty trucks travel up to 150 miles on a single charge. That’s an estimated $7,000 a year in savings, all from a battery.
“There's no engine. Your engine is your motor, which is driven by your drive axles underneath, which is electric, so the only fluid you have here is your washer bottle, your brake fluid, and your coolant that cause the battery packs down underneath you,” said Stone.
An average medium-sized diesel truck gets roughly eight miles per gallon. According to AAA, the state average for diesel gas sits at roughly $4.50, meaning a fill-up could cost close to $250.
As the truck hits the roadway, New York state is making it easier than ever for truckers to switch to electric.
"There's $100,000 vouchers that are available for someone to take a current diesel model product off the road, 27 emissions. And below you get $100,000 voucher to offset the cost of this truck. You apply that plus to $40,000 IRS tax credit. You can get into one of these for half the cost of what it would cost you to get into a diesel or a gas product,” said Stone.
State Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo and State Sen. Lea Webb are working with Burr to spread the word about their electric-powered trucks throughout the state. Burr also offers larger trucks and contracts with Volvo.