Who decides which trucks to buy? Implications for electrifying freight fleets
Claire Sugihara, Scott Hardman, Kenneth S Kurani
Abstract
This study characterizes fleets’ decisions to operate medium- and heavy-duty fossil fuel-powered trucks and compares those decisions with fleets’ consideration of electric trucks. Based on interviews with decision-makers in 25 such organizations, we describe the social context of truck acquisition decision-making. We use concepts of organizational structure and external network heterogeneity to create a typology of decision-making. We use the typology to compare decisions regarding fleets’ actual and prospective consideration and use of conventional vs. electric trucks. The results describe who is involved in truck decision-making and provides insights into the organizational structures and external networks of fleets that have and those who have not acquired electric trucks. We identify fleet types that may require additional support to transition to electric trucks. This support may include connecting fleets with new or additional external actors to facilitate medium- and heavy-duty truck electrification.