Electric Trucks: Is the Future Now Here?

Mike has worked in the commercial vehicle industry for over 35 years, is the Executive Director of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency and is the trucking lead for RMI. Mike’s specialty is brokering green truck collaborative technologies into the real world at scale. In October 2021, Mike was named an Industry Influencer by FleetOwner and awarded the prestigious SAE 2020 L. Ray Buckendale Lecturer and manuscript author in 2020. He has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the Ohio State University and a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from the Indiana Institute of Technology. Roeth served on the second National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine Committee on Reducing Fuel Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles, is a Department of Energy Merit Reviewer and past Chairman of the Board for the Truck Manufacturers Association. He understands the customers, operations and intricacies of the commercial vehicle industry having held various positions with Navistar and Behr/Cummins.

Les Garrison is Director of Project Development for Hubs on the Mobility team. In this role, she leverages her 10+ years of experience in energy and construction to develop a network of large scale facilities ("hubs"), that provide low- and no-carbon fueling infrastructure and services to Prologis's fleet customers. Hubs include innovative technology in EV charging, hydrogen fueling and on-site energy generation to facilitate electrification for our customers and generate value to the business. Prior to Prologis Mobility, Les ran Commercial Charging Deployment at Rivian, managing a build plan of 300+ projects that included AC and DC behind-the-fence fleet installations as well as Rivian's consumer-facing charging networks. Before Rivian, Les managed EV charging sourcing and deployment at autonomous vehicle company Zoox, acquired by Amazon. Before leaning into transportation electrification, her career began in offshore wind energy development at NRG Energy and semiconductor fab construction at Intel. Les attended the University of Michigan and remains a rabid Wolverine fan; she also completed a JD/MBA from Michigan State. Les lives in Los Gatos and loves spending time outside with her husband, three kids and trees. Lots of trees. As a lifelong learner, she's particularly interested in the lessons from Prologis's core real estate business that she can leverage in her Mobility Development pursuits. Les welcomes new introductions across the business and look's forward to building what's next.

Laura Ricart is the Sr. Chief Engineer of Vehicle Performance Integration for Navistar, Inc. In her current role, she is responsible for the technology roadmap to maintain Navistar’s competitive position especially in fuel economy for Class 8 tractors and Range in EV products. She leads a team of powertrain and aerodynamics specialists. Internal combustion engines were the focus of her graduate work and nearly 20 years of her career at Navistar. In her role she has had the opportunity to continue to develop traditional powertrain technology to newer standards and to diversify and grow the next generations of sustainable powertrain technologies. Ricart holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Rose Jansson is the Customer Experience Project Manager for Electromobility at Mack Trucks. She collaborates with field sales teams, customers and dealer partners to reduce the upfront costs of transitioning fleets to zero-emission vehicles. With extensive knowledge of federal, state and local incentives, Jansson helps clients navigate financing options, grants, tax credits and rebates for vehicles and infrastructure. Her strong relationships with utility companies enable businesses to maximize their electric vehicle investments while minimizing their carbon footprint. Passionate about promoting sustainable practices, Jansson believes that investing in electric trucks enhances operational efficiency and supports a greener future. She is based in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Jill Guenther, Head of Customer Success at Nikola Corporation, acts as the linchpin between Nikola and its customers, fleets and prospects. Gunether spearheads training initiatives to empower partners in their sustainability goals. She facilitates collaborative efforts for customer success stories and the collective push toward a cleaner tomorrow, showcasing how the company turns ambitions into reality through customer-centric strategies and shared sustainability objectives.