Today I Learned – June 2025

Insights from the NACFE team

NACFE does most of its work in the field at industry events and staff members hear a lot of interesting things each month. Here are some things we learned recently. Contact us if you want to ask questions about where and how we learned what we share here.

Long-haul trucking always has been a small number of the trucks in operation. Most freight traffic in the U.S. is local and regional. 95% percent of all trips are less than 200 miles in length, with 81% less than 50 miles. 

— Rick Mihelic, Director of Emerging Technologies

A well-run medium-sized fleet said that their maintenance costs have been coming down for many years and are now where they were in the pre-emissions days. 

— Yunsu Park, Director of Engineering

At the current rate of ice melt sea levels are rising by 3.3 meters/100 years. 230 million people live less than 3.2 meters above sea level.

— Ken North, Emerging Technologies Consultant

Volvo trucks surpassed 5,000 battery electric truck sold worldwide and has sold 40% of all BEVs sold in the U.S. since 2019.

— Rick Mihelic, Director of Emerging Technologies

German researchers have demonstrated a sodium solid-state cell that charges at speeds 100 times quicker than conventional Li-ion cells and is free of critical minerals.

— Dean Bushey, Director of Programs

HydroFleet is launching the industry’s first high-volume Class 8 hydrogen refueling station in Georgia.

— Mike McHorse, Director of Industry Engagement

A study of AVs shows an 80+% reduction in airbag deployment and injury-causing crashes than vehicles controlled by humans. AVs don’t get distracted with cell phones, experience fatigue, nor are they under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

— Jeff Seger, Clean Energy Consultant

The availability of even a small number of properly placed on-route truck charging stations can provide an “insurance policy” that will allow return to depot electric trucks to be deployed on longer routes.

— Rob Graff, Senior Technical Advisor