The trucking industry is in what NACFE calls the “messy middle”—a transition period between traditional diesel and future zero-emission trucks.
In this episode of HDT Talks Trucking, HDT’s Deborah Lockridge speaks with Mike Roeth, Executive Director of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency, about the latest insights from Run on Less – Messy Middle.
The demonstration tracked trucks using multiple powertrains — including diesel, natural gas, renewable fuels, and battery-electric — while collecting millions of data points from real-world operations.
Roeth explains what fleets are learning about:
- Battery-electric truck performance and charging
- Renewable diesel and biodiesel adoption
- The resurgence of natural gas with renewable natural gas (RNG)
- How data and telematics are helping fleets evaluate new technologies
- Why trucking may rely on multiple fuels for decades
Watch to hear what the early findings reveal about trucking’s evolving powertrain landscape.
Learn more:
Early Insights from NACFE’s ‘Run on Less – Messy Middle’ on Trucking Decarbonization

