By Kelby Morgan

On February 1, billion-dollar engine manufacturer Cummins was sued for a second time by four California residents for 1.675 billion dollars. Cummins is known for producing diesel engines in Dodge Ram 2500-5500 model pickup trucks, as well as engines for on-road tractors for equipment companies such as Peterbilt, Mack, and International. Being a top producer for all sizes of diesel engines, Cummins has been sued for violating the Clean Air Act. Cummins also violated emissions limits, which was proven in court, by installing emissions-cheating devices on nearly 1 million Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks in 2023. 

Dodge Ram 3500 with a Cummins engine. Photo courtesy of Dodge.

The Clean Air Act was originally passed by Congress in 1970 in order to regulate air emissions from stationary and mobile sources. It was passed to protect public health and limit the amount of fumes vehicles release that damage the environment. Cummins violated this by adding emissions-cheating devices, or defeat devices, that defeat codes so that computers can not pick up emissions failures. This led to Cummins being sued twice by California residents for the largest amount of money ever in an emissions case.

Cummins being sued has set up a difficult situation for other vehicle companies, such as Ford or Chevrolet. It affects these companies due to the fact that they also make diesel-powered pickup trucks. Concerns about emissions and internal combustion engines, along with global warming and climate change, have led to an increase in the urge for people to own electric vehicles (EVs). Cummins was a direct correlation between these ideas. 

Tesla Model 3. Photo courtesy of Tesla, Inc.

As the world continues to progress, so do electric vehicles. Elon Musk, founder of electric car company Tesla, has changed the automotive world with his all-electric vehicles. With the market continuing to grow for Teslas and other electric vehicles, the world looks closer and closer to going all electric.

I spoke with Collegiate parent Ray Parrish, owner of Parrish Ford in Goochland, to learn more about the car industry and the advancements in technology and electric vehicles. During our conversation, he explained the percentages of his sales of different types of vehicles. Parrish said, “In 2023, the percentage of electric vehicles to gas or diesel vehicles sold at Parrish Ford was 2 percent to 98 percent.” While this percentage may be surprising, given the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, Parrish explained how it depends on where people live. In a city, it could be beneficial to drive an electric vehicle. However, in more rural areas with farmland, such as Goochland County, it can be more difficult. This especially applies to farmers and anyone else who needs to tow trailers frequently. Parrish said, “For towing, diesel would be the best option, providing significantly more driving range and a higher tow capacity.”

Parrish Ford in Goochland. Photo credit: Parrish Ford via Yelp.

According to Parrish, however, Ford as a company is pushing towards more electric vehicles. They have released the Ford Lightning, an electric pickup truck, and are also making advances in hybrid vehicles. Parrish said, “In 10 years, the world will be filled with EVs.” With EVs starting to become more common, car industries are trying to find ways to make EVs more efficient.

The main reason EVs are not nearly as popular, and may not be for another 10-20 years, is because engineers are still trying to figure out how to lengthen the vehicles’ ranges and speed up the time it takes to recharge. Since there are not many charging stations yet, it is harder to drive an EV for long distances. While certain parts of the country, such as California, have more EVs, there need to be more charging stations developed everywhere, since the range of EVs is not quite reliable enough. Also, the price to fix some EVs is more expensive due to new and proprietary technology. For Tesla, a battery replacement can cost anywhere from $13,000 to $20,000. For EVs, range anxiety is a key term in their success. If engineers can solve that, then EVs will be much more efficient. 

Tesla’s success has inspired other companies to make technological advances as well. Tesla has had a serious impact on the EV car industry and is continuing to thrive, becoming a major competitor in all car markets. 

Tesla is also able to make more money by selling CAFE credits to companies that sell gasoline vehicles. The CAFE Standards, which stands for Corporate Average Fuel Economy, are a set of federal standards that car companies have to pass in order to keep selling. Since Tesla is all EV, they are able to sell their credits to other companies. This puts other car companies at great risk. Now Tesla is able to control how much they sell the credits for, and if car companies refuse to pay for them, then it can lead to them being shut down. This leads to rivalry in the car industry. 

Electric vehicles will also affect the trucking industry and how companies like Peterbilt, which builds large tractor-trailer trucks, will react to companies like Nikola, which makes EV trucks. Although this way of trucking is farther into the future, some companies that use trucking are experimenting with electric trucks to see how they perform. In videos on social media of electric trucks, some have the strength to go uphill faster, but the question is whether or not they have the range to make long hauls all across the country. Also, who is going to fix these trucks if they break down on the highway? These trucks require on-site mechanics that are able to fix the trucks if they break down, even if there is a chance to fix them.

Nikola hydrogen fuel cell electric truck. Photo courtesy of Nikola Corp.

Aaron Gregory is trucking foreman and a lowboy driver for Liesfeld Contractor, Inc. in Rockville, Virginia, which means he is responsible for hauling heavy equipment to and from job sites. Being in a truck for the majority of his life, he memorizes his truck’s patterns, whether in shifting or fuel range. 

Gregory, who has a great deal of knowledge in the trucking industry, has rented a Nikola electric truck for Liesfield. He said, “Range wise, it didn’t compete to my truck, but as far as acceleration and driver comfort, it was, hands down, no comparison.” Gregory loved the truck; however, the range is a problem, just like throughout the EV industry. Gregory said, “The fact that you only get about 160 miles for a full charge, compared to 450 miles in a diesel truck, really makes the electric not worth the time of day.” With range being a consistent problem, I asked if electric trucks are a more efficient direction for businesses. Gregory replied, “No, in my opinion I think an electric-diesel hybrid would make a lot more sense, because that truck [the Nikola] had nine battery cells, and that is a loss of freight you can haul, if the government doesn’t charge the weight restrictions on the trucking industry.” All truck drivers can have a maximum combined weight of the truck, trailer, and freight they are hauling. Every truck must go through weigh stations that are beside the highway to see if they are below weight. Since the electric trucks are much heavier due to their nine battery cells, the trucker must carry a smaller load. Yet I have seen first-hand how the Nikola all-electric truck drives, and how smooth and clean it is to drive.

With the rising innovation in EVs, from cars, to trucks, to on-road tractors, the country is starting to find new ways of travel. In Virginia, in particular, Parrish has been noticing that sales of EVs have not been increasing as they have in other parts of the country, 

While the nation wants EVs, there are still challenges to overcome before they are the dominant cars and trucks on the road.