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Comparing the numbers
Metric Diesel yard truck Electric yard truck
Annual Fuel Use 8000 – 12,000 gallons 19-32 MWh
Annual CO₂ Emissions |
90 – 120 metric tons |
Zero tailpipe emissions |
|
NO x
& PM Emissions
|
High |
Eliminated |
Noise Level |
Loud, vibration-heavy |
Quiet, low vibration |
Maintenance Frequent, costly Lower, fewer parts Uptime 85-to-90 percent( variable) 95-to-99 percent
Costs and tradeoffs
The financial debate between diesel and electric often comes down to time horizons. Diesel trucks are cheaper to acquire upfront, which appeals to operators under shortterm budget constraints. Electric yard trucks carry higher upfront costs, require charging infrastructure, and need operational adjustments, but as technology improves and incentives expand, the barriers are narrowing. When fuel, maintenance, and downtime are factored in, electric trucks tend to win over the long term. This creates a broader question: what is the real cost of continuing with diesel? The answer is not just about dollars per mile, but about compliance risk, reputational impact, and long-term competitiveness.
Beyond compliance
Electrifying the yard is not only about meeting sustainability checkboxes. It has wider implications:
■ Customer demands. Enterprise shippers are under pressure to decarbonize their supply chains. Suppliers and partners that align with those expectations gain an advantage.
■ Employee experience. Cleaner, quieter trucks improve the daily lives of drivers and yard staff, which can aid retention in an industry struggling with labor shortages.
■ Future-proofing. As emissions reporting becomes more rigorous, early adopters of
EV yard trucks will be better positioned to comply with ESG frameworks and avoid last-minute scrambles.
■ Operational consistency. Electric trucks’ predictable performance reduces variability and helps standardize operations across multiple sites.
Partnered approach
The promise of electrification is clear, but the path is not always straightforward. Upfront capital costs, infrastructure planning, regulatory navigation, and workforce training can overwhelm even well-resourced operators. For many, the risk lies not in the trucks themselves but in how the transition is managed.
That’ s why a growing number of companies are turning to integrated yard logistics partners rather than trying to implement electrification directly. A partner brings three critical advantages:
1. Experience across sites. They’ ve navigated the technical and operational hurdles at scale, learning lessons that an individual shipper may face for the first time.
2. Integrated operations. Beyond just trucks, partners can align labor, processes, and technology to ensure the EVs deliver their full potential.
3. Financial and regulatory guidance. From accessing incentives like state vouchers to modeling total cost of
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