At Green Truck Summit 2025, part of NTEA’s Work Truck Week, Daimler Trucks North America’s (DTNA) Mary Aufdemberg delivered a sobering update on the trucking industry’s zero-emission transition.
Reflecting on her 2024 keynote, the general manager of product strategy and market development for DTNA acknowledged slower-than-expected progress while outlining the truck-maker’s multipronged approach to zero emissions amid regulatory and infrastructure hurdles.
What’s changed in the year since Aufdemberg delivered her keynote that was bullish on truck electrification?
The challenges loom larger this year. Regulatory uncertainty and misaligned incentives threaten to stall progress, she said, noting that the “regulatory push, the incentive timelines, they’ve been out of sync for quite a while with infrastructure availability.” Without alignment, zero-emission trucks remain unviable due to the lag in publicly available infrastructure.
But Aufdemberg said that DTNA will continue moving forward with its zero-emission programs. She highlighted investments in infrastructure through Greenlane, a joint venture, and battery production via Amplify Cell Technologies. Products like the eCascadia, eM2, and Jouley electric buses and vans are already on the road, with ongoing efforts to lower the total cost of ownership. Yet diesel remains the backbone of the industry.
Aufdemberg emphasized DTNA’s commitment to advanced diesel trucks, which emit 50% less than federal standards in 2025 models. The fifth-generation Cascadia – 20% more fuel-efficient than its 2017 predecessor – exemplifies this dual-track strategy.
DTNA’s global presence allows the company to continue investments in zero-emission technology. “This is just one of the benefits of being a global company where the emission standards are still moving forward,” Aufdemberg said, noting that international advancements inform North American solutions. Despite regulatory slowdowns, DTNA pledges to move “at the speed of right,” balancing zero-emission and diesel investments to keep fleets operational.
The Green Truck Summit, Aufdemberg said, is vital for collaboration and the exchange of ideas. “It’s a great forum for our industry to openly discuss the challenges that face us ahead, both today and 10 years from now.”
For fleet professionals, her message is clear: Sustainability demands partnership, innovation and pragmatism. The industry must unite to bridge the gap between ambition and reality.
