The Hidden Economics of Comfort
Why Truck Drivers Prefer Electric
The first thing Alex Johnson notices when he slides behind the wheel of his new electric rig isn’t the torque or the touchscreen tech. It’s the quiet.
“No engine noise, just a slight hum,” he says. “I can actually enjoy music or podcasts without the constant drone of a diesel engine.” For Johnson, a veteran long-haul driver who spent years with the roar of diesel in his ears and the rattle in his bones, the shift is more than mechanical—it’s personal. Electric trucks don’t just change what powers the vehicle. They change how the job feels.
This sensory upgrade is starting to ripple through the industry as more business fleets transition from diesel to electric trucks. From lower noise and vibration to smoother acceleration, battery-electric trucks offer a better behind-the-wheel experience. And that matters—because in an industry where driver turnover routinely approaches 90 percent, anything that improves driver satisfaction can move the bottom line. Fleets are starting to realize that switching to electric trucks also serves as a lever for reducing the steep costs of recruiting, training, and replacing truck drivers, offering a more competitive edge in the market.
Delivering Affordability
For years, the conventional wisdom was that electric trucks were too expensive and were ultimately a boutique solution for a few image-conscious operators. But that story is falling apart.
A new report by Energy Innovation and the International Council on Clean Transportation, Delivering Affordability, makes a compelling case that battery-electric trucks are not just viable. They’re becoming the smarter economic choice. Our analysis shows battery-electric trucks can outcompete diesel on total ownership cost across most vehicle classes by 2030—even without subsidies. That matters because trucking costs are a factor for most goods sold in the U.S., affecting 72 percent of products by value, rippling across the economy. Lowering those costs eases pressure on household budgets and business margins alike.
The research focuses on hard cost metrics—vehicle acquisition, fueling, and maintenance—while this article takes a closer look at a more elusive advantage: the hidden economics of comfort. As we’ll see, how electric trucks feel to drive may be one of the most underrated payoffs of fleet electrification.
Why Truck Drivers Choose Electric: Comfort and Performance
Electric HDV drivers report significantly reduced physical fatigue, thanks to quieter cabs, smoother acceleration, and decreased vibration.
Francisco Cervantes, another experienced electric HDV driver, adds: “It’s smooth, quiet—you can practically meditate inside an electric truck. It sounds like a hoverboard when it takes off,” he says. “The steering feels like butter.” Cervantes sees electric trucks as crucial for recruiting, “How do you get younger drivers into this industry? Technology like this is the way to do that.”
Alex Johnson emphasizes the performance advantages of instant torque and responsiveness: “The truck reacts immediately when overtaking or climbing hills—a stark contrast to diesel trucks that often feel sluggish.”
Performance and comfort improvements like these directly boost job satisfaction.
How Driver Satisfaction Cuts Fleet Costs
Higher driver job satisfaction addresses the trucking industry’s labor supply challenges, helping with driver recruitment and retention.
Turnover among long-haul truck drivers has hovered near 90 percent since the mid-1990s—dropping only briefly during the Great Recession. Short-haul fleets, though slightly better off, still face intense competition for qualified candidates.
A study by the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute put the average cost of driver turnover at $8,234. Similarly, the National Private Truck Council estimates that hiring and training a single heavy-duty driver costs about $7,500.
Adopting electric HDVs addresses these challenges by enhancing driver satisfaction. A quieter, smoother driving experience means less stress, fewer health complaints, and ultimately, lower turnover.
Closing the U.S. Deployment Gap
Despite clear driver benefits and improving economics, U.S. adoption of electric trucks significantly lags global competitors. According to BloombergNEF in 2024, electric trucks made up just 0.5 percent of new U.S. truck sales compared to 2 percent in Europe and nearly 8 percent in China.
From 2021-2024, the U.S. share of global EV investment tripled, outpacing commitments in any other region. By September 2024, private companies had announced $209 billion in EV and battery investments in the U.S., expected to create over 240,000 jobs. That includes a major new commercial vehicle battery plant in Mississippi—the state’s largest payroll commitment ever.
Domestic deployment is critical to sustaining this momentum. It provides confidence in demand, supporting the long lead times and capital intensity of battery and vehicle supply chains. Without it, many of these investments risk delay or cancellation. While states can act decisively—as outlined in Delivering Affordability—federal backsliding would jeopardize the entire ecosystem.
The Policy Moment for Clean Trucks
Fleets adopting electric trucks are positioning themselves as leaders in driver satisfaction and recruitment. This isn’t just a workforce issue—it’s a bottom-line opportunity.
But unlocking the full triple-bottom-line potential of battery-electric trucks hinges on the right policies. Congress has just taken the unprecedented step to reverse tailpipe pollution standards that were stronger than federal rules, which more than a dozen states were following. There are still powerful options for states that want to lead on clean truck technology, as Delivering Affordability outlines.
A huge amount rides on federal policy currently being debated in Congress: whether tax credits that unleashed a truly impressive wave of investment will be reverse. This would kneecap billions in private investment—much of it backing manufacturing jobs in Republican-led states.
More than 75 percent of EV related investments have flowed to GOP-held congressional districts. When you broaden the lens to clean energy manufacturing, including renewables as well as EV and battery production, the share climbs to 80 percent according to the MIT based Clean Investment Monitor. My colleagues at Energy Innovation modeled the bill and found it killed 800,000 jobs — concentrated overwhelmingly in GOP states and districts.
Doubling down on diesel and combustion engines would be a bet on the past, one that risks ceding the future to other nations. Electric trucks are ready. The economics align. What’s needed now is policy consistency to turn this momentum into lasting progress. That will require a new era of state leadership as well as the continuation of the federal policies that created the remarkable domestic manufacturing momentum observable in early 2025. With the right choices, we can turn commitments into competitive domestic supply chains, deliver lower costs to consumers and businesses, and position the U.S. to lead in the vital area of transportation technology once again.
 | A guest post by
|