When you think of electric vehicles, you probably think of a compact car or small sedan. But if you really want to see carbon emissions and fuel consumption lowered significantly, you need to think bigger.
More specifically, think of bigger vehicles like semi-trucks, buses and even garbage collection vehicles. While few of these big vehicles currently on the roads are electric models, that could soon change thanks to a few green startups.
Companies Creating Eco-Friendly Trucks
First up is Nikola Motor Company, which is developing a line of 18-wheeler semis with ranges of up to 1,200 miles. The company is also working on building a network of more than 300 hydrogen fuel stations.
Then there’s Wrightspeed, a company that makes garbage trucks cleaner and quieter, while still remaining cost effective. And Proterra is an electric bus company that is bringing its battery powered buses to Seattle, Chicago and Philadelphia in the near future.
All of these startups demonstrate the potential for new and different offerings within the green transportation industry. But they also offer potential solutions for businesses as well. If your business needs to haul goods across the country for example, Nikola’s line of semi-trucks could present an eco-friendly alternative to traditional shipping methods.
Of course, these won’t be perfect options for every business just yet. But the more companies and innovative minds jump into this space, the more options and potential cost savings could make green transportation more appealing to a lot of businesses.
Electric Bus Photo via Shutterstock
This article, “Think Big Vehicles Can’t Be Eco-Friendly? Think Again (Watch)” was first published on Small Business Trends