The North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) has released a new report detailing the planning, execution, and early findings from Run on Less – Messy Middle, a three-week demonstration focused on long-haul Class 8 trucking and the real-world performance of multiple powertrain technologies Bringing-Clarity-to-the-Messy-M….
The report, Bringing Clarity to the Messy Middle, documents how 13 fleets operated diesel, natural gas, battery-electric, and hydrogen fuel cell trucks in return-to-base and over-the-road long-haul duty cycles during the September 8–25, 2025 demonstration. Vehicles included both sleeper cabs and day cabs, with data collected continuously through Geotab telematics.
According to NACFE, the purpose of the Run was not to identify a single “best” powertrain, but to bring clarity to what the organization calls trucking’s “messy middle,” the transition period between today’s diesel-dominated operations and a future of zero-emission freight movement. While long-haul trucking represents a relatively small share of total truck populations, NACFE notes it contributes a disproportionately large share of emissions, making it a critical segment to understand.
The participating fleets operated a mix of commercially available or near-commercial technologies. The Run featured four diesel-powered trucks, three natural gas trucks, four battery-electric trucks, and two hydrogen fuel cell trucks from eight manufacturers. Fleets shared operational data, infrastructure requirements, and real-world constraints tied to duty cycle, payload, terrain, and fueling or charging access.
NACFE’s report emphasizes that all four powertrain options demonstrated viability in long-haul applications under certain conditions. Diesel and renewable diesel vehicles showed continued efficiency gains, while natural gas trucks demonstrated increased power, torque, range, and fast refueling capability. Battery-electric trucks operated in defined long-haul and regional return-to-base applications, and hydrogen fuel cell trucks were evaluated as an emerging option with potential in select use cases.
The report also outlines the broader educational and data-sharing framework surrounding the Run, including NACFE’s Messy Middle Bootcamp webinar series, site visits to participating fleets, public dashboards displaying vehicle performance, and a structured approach to data transparency. NACFE plans additional reports in 2026 focused on operations, emissions footprints, total cost of ownership, and final findings based on deeper analysis of the collected data.
NACFE concludes that decarbonizing long-haul trucking will likely take decades and require phased approaches. Rather than a single technology pathway, the organization points to a mix of efficiency improvements, renewable fuels, and zero-emission technologies matched carefully to specific fleet operations and duty cycles.
