How to launch an electric truck company during the Trump era

Countless commercial electric vehicle (EV) initiatives in the U.S. have either failed or stalled. Despite this, manufacturers still plan to succeed and grow where others failed. Zero-emission truck manufacturer ZM Trucks opened its first truck assembly plant in Inland Empire, California, in late August. The company constructed the plant in only 88 weeks and plans to sell as many as 1,200 zero-emission trucks next year. Joost de Vries, CEO of ZM Trucks, emphasized the importance of total cost of ownership and return on investment (ROI) for fleet managers, regardless of emissions. “Customers are starting to understand that there is an ROI if you go electric,” he told FleetOwner during the company’s plant opening. “It has nothing to do with the environment.”