Rick Mihelic, contributor

Rick Mihelic

Rick Mihelic is NACFE’s Director of Emerging Technologies. He has authored for NACFE four Guidance Reports on electric and alternative fuel medium- and heavy-duty trucks and several Confidence Reports on Determining Efficiency, Tractor and Trailer Aerodynamics, Two Truck Platooning, and authored special studies on Regional Haul, Defining Production and Intentional Pairing of tractor trailers. 

Alternative power
Beyond headlines
NACFE has estimated that if every Class 8 vehicle produced today was magically a ZEV, it would still take 15 to 20 years to migrate them into 100% replacement of the existing vehicles.
September 7, 2021
T280 Box Van
Technology
Appreciating technology obsolescence
The Union Pacific Big Boy in 2021 is an anachronism of a bygone state-of-the-art technology from 1941. Freight transportation will see a similar massive technology change over the next 30 years.
August 24, 2021
Union Pacific steam locomotive
Alternative power
The truth about red herrings
We are continually assaulted by opinions and separating fact from fiction is challenging.
August 9, 2021
red herring fish
Trucks
A trend toward purpose-built vehicles
Standing on a truck production line almost always causes a visitor to comment that every truck seems to be completely different than the one before or after.
July 19, 2021
flatbed trailer with building supplies
Business
Powertrain type doesn't matter without aerodynamics
In the end, freight efficiency is about moving more freight with less energy and less cost.
June 27, 2021
Freight efficiency is about moving more freight with less energy and less cost. Improving aerodynamics are relevant to all powertrain choices.
Business
Innovation is all about its place on the S-curve
A simplistic view of technology diffusion works pretty well to explain winners, but not all horses seem to finish the race.
April 10, 2021
Transportation innovation follows a time-tested S-curve pattern.
Business
Failing to plan is planning to fail
Defense in depth starts from assuming systems will fail and then proactively designing for those failures.
March 24, 2021
Plan A through E signs pointing in different directions
Alternative power
H2 or BEV? It's not 'us versus them'
Providing choices will accelerate zero-emission vehicle alternatives much in the same way the co-location of Home Depot and Lowes has generally benefitted overall home improvement sales.
March 10, 2021
Driving to zero emissions trailer on a battery electric vehicle
Alternative power
Green energies present many TCO unknowns
Market impacts for truck TCO estimation used to only be impacted by uncontrollable market variables like interest rates and residual value of used trucks.
January 29, 2021
Blue Tesla Semi
Equipment
Hard to abate emissions? I think not
There are many things that can be classified as hard in this world, but trucking emissions should not be hard to abate. Find out why on CCJ.
January 13, 2021
trucking-exhaust-2021-01-13-06-44
Page 1 of 2
Next Page
Top Stories
Western Star 47X and 49X
Trucks
Western Star debuts new, lighter X-Series model
The 47X is the younger and lighter sibling in Western Star's X-Series family, joining the 49X.
Autnomous FedEx truck
Equipment controls
FedEx partners with Aurora, Paccar for self-driving hauls between Dallas and Houston
Reefer trailers at a dock
Economic trends
Spot load volume returns to pre-holiday levels
Meera Joshi
Regulations
Joshi confirmation hearing is Wednesday, set to lead FMCSA
Why Green APU?
Sponsor Content
Why Green APU?