In these sample papers from the 2020 M3 Challenge, students were asked to create a model to predict what percentage of semi-trucks will be electric in the next few years. Each paper has a cover sheet that indicates what judges liked about the paper and what could have been improved.
“It’s no secret that electric vehicles are more environmentally friendly, but the real questions are: It is cheaper than conventional methods? Can you still profit from going green? It is assumed that Electric Semi Trucks will soon be on the market, and many people are curious as to whether these more environmentally friendly vehicles are worth it. So, we sought out to answer these questions.”
“Trucking has remained a relatively stagnant market in terms of technological innovation, costs, and growth, as overall production levels of Class 8 Semi trucks have changed little since 1999. As such a large and important industry, trucking is ripe for innovation, which is why many are drawing their attention towards electric vehicles to improve on cost, distance, efficiency, and sustainability. Our team set out to model the impact EV (electric vehicle) innovations will have on long and regional haul transportation using class 8 vehicles.”
“Recent technological developments have improved the attractiveness of electric semi-trucks, and several leading companies have already pledged to improve their freight efficiency and reduce their environmental footprint by beginning to replace old and nonoperational diesel trucks with electric semi-trucks. We were tasked with creating mathematical models to predict the percentage of electrical semis 5, 10, and 20 years from 2020, to determine the number of charging stations and chargers to install along major trucking routes, and to identify a trucking corridor to develop depending on both social and technical factors.”
