Who would have thought? In the race to electrification, commercial vehicles seem to be taking over passenger cars.
Long distances, heavy cargo – until very recently, this didn't seem like a great fit for e-mobility. Replacing diesel with electricity in trucks and lorries seemed a long way off. But things turned out differently. At this moment, it looks like the electrification of heavy-duty transport may be advancing at a faster pace than that of cars.
This would be good news for the climate, seeing as the long-distance transport segment makes up two-thirds of CO2 emissions in truck traffic. At the same time, it would be a major step forward for the industry, which is facing stricter emissions regulations for heavy vehicles in the EU that will come into effect in 2030. Already now, there is a mandate for a 15 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for trucks over 16 tonnes (compared to 2019 levels) coming into effect next year.
“Battery electric trucks and buses outperform their diesel, hydrogen, and natural gas counterparts in reducing GHG emissions over their lifetime. 2021 vehicle models produce at least 63% lower lifetime emissions compared to diesel even when using the EU’s average electricity grid mix. Projections show a 92% emission reduction when 100% renewable electricity is used.”
With much ado, Daimler Truck is currently launching its eActros 600, a heavy-duty long-haul truck with a futuristic design and a hitherto unparalleled energy efficiency and climate footprint.
“Our eActros 600 is a strong alternative to a diesel truck – thanks to its range of 500 kilometres on a single battery charge. With its very high energy efficiency, the eActros 600 will also be profitable for fleet operators,’ says Karin Rådström, the new CEO of Daimler Truck Holding AG.
The stunning performance of the eActros 600 is made possible by a high battery capacity of 600 kilowatt hours (three battery packs of 207 kWh each) and a newly developed, highly efficient electric drive axle. The range of 500 kilometres on a single charge can be increased to 1,000 kilometres per day with short recharges during the mandatory driver breaks. And this works even without megawatt charging, which means charging the truck at record speed with a power of up to 1,000 kilowatts. These calculations are based on realistic conditions of 40 tonnes total towing weight.
In order to provide practical proof, Daimler Truck took two fully loaded eActros 600 prototypes this summer and sent them on a seven-week, over 15,000-kilometre test drive through 22 European countries, under the watchful eyes of 30 accompanying journalists. The tour took place exclusively at public charging stations and covered a wide range of conditions, such as the 360-kilometre descent from Madrid to Bilbao in very good road and weather conditions, and the 240-kilometre drive from Alta to the North Cape at 7 degrees Celsius and partly on gravel roads.
Expectations were exceeded, particularly with regard to energy efficiency. The average consumption on the tour was 103 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometres. Converted to the energy content of diesel, this equates to a diesel consumption of approximately 10 litres per 100 kilometres, which is unattainable for a conventionally powered truck. What is more, on avergae 25 per cent of the eActros 600’ driving consumption is offset by recuperation, meaning the recovery of braking energy.
A recent study indicates that the transition to electric trucks is already at a “tipping point”. According to experts at PwC Germany, electric trucks could become the standard on German roads in just a few years and almost completely replace diesel trucks by 2040. According to the analysis, more than one in five trucks and buses worldwide will be battery-powered by 2030. By 2040, this figure could climb to 90 per cent. In 2030, the experts anticipate 600,000 electric trucks to be sold globally, and then years later it could be 2.7 million per year. And yet, a question mark hovers over the shimmering new electric world, and the more it shimmers, the bigger the question mark gets: Can the charging infrastructure keep up?
“It is now essential that politicians, the energy sector and industry work together to drive forward the expansion of the public charging infrastructure.”
“E-trucks achieve their TCO advantage primarily through lower energy costs,” says Dr Philipp Rose, Director at PwC Germany, “because electricity is generally cheaper than diesel.” TCO (“Total Cost of Ownership”) refers to the total cost of a vehicle from purchase through operation to the end of its life. However, this advantage in operating costs only comes into effect if there are enough fast and affordable charging points. According to the study, this requires considerable investment – both from the public sector and, above all, from the logistics industry itself.
According to the PwC study, by 2035, public investment in Europe would amount to 6.1 billion euros in order to establish 720 charging parks and thus provide a nationwide charging infrastructure. In addition, the private sector would need to provide 28.6 billion euros for some 28,500 depot charging points.
When it comes to charging, there has been a strong focus on public fast-charging parks, which are necessary for broad coverage but are subject to large use capacity fluctuations. “It would be beneficial for the logistics sector to take initiative and invest more in depot charging points. This will facilitate the planning of infrastructure use and help to maintain control of charging costs,” recommends PwC’s Rose.
“Logistics companies that adapt their operating models to electric vehicles early on can reap huge competitive benefits.”
In order to be able to offer their customers a comprehensive and cost-effective service, the logistics industry as well as private companies are increasingly taking the expansion of the charging infrastructure into their own hands. Daimler Truck launched its new brand TruckCharge specifically to unify its e-infrastructure and electric truck charging services, including consulting, infrastructure, and the operation of electrified depots for freight forwarders and industrial companies. The offer includes Fleetboard Charge Management, which provides a comprehensive overview of interactions between battery-powered trucks in the fleet and the company's charging stations.
Beyond the Daimler universe, we have Virta, Europe’s leading plattform for the charging of e-vehicles, which offers multi-brand solutions. “With Virta, companies have access to a reliable charging infrastructure that offers flexible and scalable solutions for the growing demand for e-mobility,” says Nicolai Woyczechowski, VP Sales DACH & CEE at Virta. “Apart from charging, we support our customers with load management and the integration of renewable energy to promote a more sustainable use of electric vehicles.”
“In Europe, trucks make up less than two percent of the total vehicle fleet, but are responsible for almost a quarter of road transport emissions. We need solutions here.”
Virta’s charging solutions for electric commercial vehicles include hardware, software, and intelligent energy management. The system enables fleet operators to efficiently plan, monitor, and optimise charging processes, thereby reducing operating costs. Features such as being able to reserve public charging points ahead of time enable logistics and transport companies to plan efficient routes.
