After accumulating more than 87 million miles with compressed and renewable natural gas, Paper Transport is adding battery-electric trucking to its alternative-fuel strategy through a Chicago-area evaluation of the Tesla Semi Long Range.
The carrier will evaluate the Class 8 electric truck in dedicated operations, pointing out that predictable routes and consistent mileage will provide a structured environment for measuring vehicle performance, reliability, and operating costs.
The evaluation is intended to give Paper Transport another option for helping shippers address emissions generated within their transportation networks. Battery-electric trucks will join the carrier’s existing mix of natural gas vehicles and intermodal transportation rather than replace those services.
“Our partnership with Tesla expands our portfolio alongside renewable natural gas and intermodal,” said Tyler Ellison, CEO of Paper Transport.
According to Paper Transport, its dedicated operating model is well suited for the evaluation because the trucks generally run consistent mileage on established routes. That predictability can help the fleet determine whether a truck’s range, charging requirements, payload capacity, and daily availability align with a customer’s freight demands.
Paper Transport has not said how much of that range it expects to use during the Chicago evaluation or whether charging will occur between shifts, during scheduled breaks, or overnight. The trial should provide the fleet with operational data to compare Tesla’s specifications with the needs of a dedicated freight account.
“We anticipate a growing synergy between our businesses,” said Bryan Ellen, vice president of maintenance at Paper Transport.
The Tesla Semi test follows more than 15 years of alternative-fuel experience at Paper Transport. The company currently reports more than 87.3 million miles with CNG- and RNG-powered trucks and approximately 14.3 million gallons of diesel displaced. Paper Transport recorded more than 5.3 million natural gas miles during 2025, bringing its cumulative total at the end of that year to more than 84 million miles.
ACT News previously spoke with Paper Transport about its natural gas operations after the fleet surpassed 70 million miles with CNG and RNG. That experience included evaluating where an alternative fuel could meet customer requirements, establishing access to fueling, and placing trucks in operations that could maintain consistent utilization.
