How NACFE Is Clarifying Long-Haul Powertrain Tradeoffs With Fleet Data

Long-haul trucking sits at the center of the industry’s decarbonization challenge. Multiple powertrain options are now technically viable, but their operational fit varies widely depending on duty cycle, route structure, fueling access, and fleet economics. The result for many fleets is uncertainty rather than clarity.

NACFE has taken a deliberately empirical approach to this problem by grounding analysis in real-world fleet operations rather than models or projections. Its recent long-haul research focused on Class 8 sleeper and day cab trucks operating under return-to-base and over-the-road conditions, capturing how different powertrain technologies perform in live commercial service.

The work examined four propulsion categories: diesel and renewable diesel, natural gas and renewable natural gas, battery electric, and hydrogen fuel cell. Participating vehicles were already deployed in revenue service and instrumented with standardized telematics, allowing NACFE to compare performance using consistent metrics while preserving operational context. This combination of quantitative data and qualitative fleet insight is central to NACFE’s approach.

Fleet selection also mattered. NACFE evaluated a broad pool of candidates and narrowed participation based on practical criteria, including trucks in active operation, willingness to share data transparently, and openness to on-site engagement. The resulting mix avoided technology advocacy in favor of representation across powertrains, geographies, and operating models.

Rather than positioning one solution as dominant, the findings highlight tradeoffs. Diesel and renewable diesel continue to offer operational familiarity and infrastructure depth. Natural gas shows strengths in specific long-haul patterns where fueling access is well established. Battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell platforms demonstrate promise, but with constraints that remain highly dependent on route design, dwell time, and supporting infrastructure.

By anchoring analysis in fleet data, NACFE shifts the long-haul powertrain conversation away from assumptions and toward operational fit. For fleet operators, OEMs, and policymakers, the value lies not in definitive answers, but in a clearer understanding of where each technology performs well today and where further development or infrastructure investment is still required.

Learn more

• NACFE website: https://nacfe.org

• Bringing Clarity to the Messy Middle executive summary (January 2026): https://nacfe.org/research/run-on-less