Delivery Fleets Love Electric Trucks

Even as auto manufacturers seek to convince car buyers of the virtues of electric vehicles, one key group needs little persuasion: delivery fleet managers. While commuters and vacationers may fret about so-called range anxiety—the fear of not making it to a charging station before the car's battery needs topping up—drivers of commercial delivery vehicles tend to follow the same route each day, so they have a pretty good idea how much power they'll need. And since trucks typically return to the garage every night, there's little worry about finding a charger. Electrics "are quiet, don't pollute, and vibrate less than diesels," says Mike O'Connell, director of fleet capability for Frito-Lay North America. "Our sales reps are fighting over who gets the next one."