A new all-electric semi truck will be transporting Honda vehicles from a Lincoln, Alabama plant to a nearby rail hub for shipment to destinations throughout the world.

The truck, unveiled by the Virginia Transportation Corporation, will allow officials to collect data and analyze the performance of the vehicle, in turn helping determine its long-term viability.

A coalition of corporations and organizations including Peterbilt, Alabama Power, the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, and the Virginia Transportation Corporation are working together to support the project still in its pilot phase.

“We celebrate Virginia Transportation as a long-standing member of our organization,” said Michael Staley, president of Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition. “We are committed to helping them continue their success as a leader in cutting-edge vehicle technology.”

Hasin Gandhakwala, Electric Transportation Manager for Alabama Power, said his company is dedicated to “advancing EV technologies to better serve the needs of customers.”

“Alabama Power’s ‘Make Ready’ program provides businesses with valuable rebates to help reduce the upfront costs of installing EV infrastructure. We are committed to partnering with customers who are exploring state and federal grant opportunities.”

Leo Doire, owner and CEO of Virginia Transportation Corporation, emphasized that partnerships will be key going forward with the project

“We remain committed to delivering for our customers and the environment,” said Doire. “Our new Peterbilt 579EV model will be tested to determine how well it performs against the high productivity demands of our operations.”

“The partners we have at the table will help us maximize this opportunity and prepare to scale up if we get the results we are hoping for.”

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten