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Xos Inc., a 5-year-old truck maker focused on delivering battery-electric commercial vehicles in Classes 5-8, announced a definitive agreement to go public through a business combination with NextGen Acquisition Corp., a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company based in Boca Raton, Fla.

The North American Council for Freight Efficiency announced plans for Run on Less-Electric, a technology demonstration of a variety of battery-electric trucks in everyday operation.

Recent advances in electric-­vehicle technology and the broader movement to reduce carbon emissions are creating market conditions that are increasingly favorable for electrification.

Daimler Trucks North America and utility company Portland General Electric announced the co-development of a public charging site for medium- and heavy-duty electric commercial vehicles that is expected to be the first of its kind in the United States.

With major truck manufacturers pushing into factory-built electric vehicles, 2021 is poised to be the year for the technology to transition from pilot testing to commercialization.

The growing world of electric truck operations offers an opportunity to increase diversity in the industry, experts addressing the Women In Trucking Association’s annual conference said.

Volvo Trucks North America announced it, and other industry associations and companies, helped facilitate the modification of California utility rules to give private entities the ability to sell electricity as a motor fuel at publicly accessible charging stations for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles.

Truck makers are beginning to introduce battery-electric models, but successfully deploying this new breed of commercial vehicle requires fleets to manage a bevy of new considerations, including installation of charging equipment, coordination with utility companies and exploring government incentives.

VTNA said it was awarded $21.7 million in federal and state grants to deploy 70 VNR Electric trucks in Southern California for regional freight distribution and drayage.

Lightning Systems, a provider of complete electrification solutions for urban commercial fleets, announced that Fluid Truck placed an order for 600 Lightning electric vehicles that will be made available starting in the fourth quarter.