The North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) will showcase the options for decarbonizing the long-haul segment of trucking in its new Run on Less event, the “Messy Middle,” which will focus on reducing emissions in heavy-duty “return-to-base” and over-the-road trucking.
This is the fifth event in the series, which started in 2017 with a fleet of diesel-powered trucks running real routes with real freight during a three-week period that demonstrated their ability to achieve 10 miles per gallon. NACFE focused on regional haul in 2019, electric vehicles in 2021, and depot charging in 2023.
“Each Run has tried to mirror market issues,” Mike Roeth, NACFE executive director, said in a news release. “This Run is no different. We are calling it Run on Less-Messy Middle because today’s fleet managers have a variety of options when it comes to what will power their vehicles. While other market segments have proven to be a good fit for battery-electric vehicles, we are still looking for the best solutions for the long-haul segment of the industry now and in the future.”
Long-haul trucking is only 9% of the overall industry, but it’s responsible for 48% of heavy-duty-related emissions, according to a National Renewable Energy Laboratory analysis. To examine the options for reducing these emissions, the new event will follow 10 fleets of Class 8 sleepers and daycabs using different decarbonization solutions, including battery electric, hydrogen fuel cells and engines, renewable natural gas, renewable and bio diesel, hybrids, and energy efficiency features for all fuel types.
“There is a great deal of work being done in the long-haul segment of the market to decarbonize it,” Roeth explained. “This upcoming Run will give us the opportunity to showcase the realities of that market to help fleets make more informed decisions now and in the future about which powertrain options make the most sense for their Class 8 long-haul routes.”
The new event will take place in September 2025 and again feature NACFE’s pre-Run Bootcamp series and metrics, and dashboards on the Run on Less website. NACFE will share results and updates via social media channels, blogs, and videos during the Run, and publish a report with all the findings in 2026.
“We are excited to begin vetting fleets to participate in the Run and to sign on sponsors to help underwrite the cost of the Run,” Roeth said. “All of us at NACFE and RMI are excited to be working on the fifth freight efficiency demonstration in the Run on Less series and look forward to bringing some clarity to the Messy Middle of long-haul trucking.”