Test yourself: are electric trucks for you?

If the answer is ‘yes’, then the transition to electric should be relatively simple and straight-forward. One overnight charge should be enough for an electric truck in urban operation to complete its daily operations before returning to its depot. While in regional transport, top-up charging might be required

However, even if the answer is ‘no’, it can still be possible to use an electric truck if an opportunity for top-up charging can be implemented into the truck’s route. For example, 45 minutes of charging during a driver’s break – depending on the available charging power – can be enough to extend an electric truck’s range to 500-600 km per day.

Having your own charging infrastructure enables you to fully recharge a vehicle overnight and depending on the proximity of its route, charge during the day as well.

For example, with two fast chargers at its depot, Swedish haulage firm Mattson Åkeri can operate a combination of up to 74 tonnes gross weight, for up to 12 hours a day, by charging during the driver’s break.

The number of public charging stations suitable for heavy-duty trucks is still low in number. However, in many countries the network is growing quickly.

Just one strategically placed charging point can significantly extend your truck’s range. Look for charging points along your common routes and stay up to date with your local developments.

If there are no public charging stations directly on your route, or conveniently located when you need to recharge, can this be rectified by changing your route?

Route planning can not only be an important strategy for enabling electrification, it can also help make operations more efficient.

For example, since recuperating energy on downhill slopes or while braking is an effective way to extend the range of an electric truck, some companies rearrange their routes to capture as much kinetic energy as possible. For instance, by scheduling the last stop at the top of a hill. The gains are even higher if the truck is fully loaded.

The optimal time to recharge an electric truck is when it is already stationary, such as loading or during a driver’s break. If you can implement charging during such stops, you can extend an electric truck’s range without losing productivity.

Good route planning can help and potentially enable you to coordinate a driver’s break with a stop at a charging station. Collaborating with customers and partners to secure chargers at delivery spots is also worth exploring.

The easiest segments to transition to electric trucks are ones that typically involve driving regular routes. They offer predictability and make it easier to implement charging when you know exactly where and when the vehicle will stop.

Refuse collection and urban distribution are good examples. However regional and long-haul distribution can also be serviced with electric trucks if you’re able to establish charging stops on route.

For example, Swedish haulage firm Börje Jönsson Group has managed to drive an electric truck for close to 1000 km per day, six days a week, for two years, covering a total distance of 500,000 km.

With the addition of just one fast charger, electric trucks operating in confined areas such as mines, harbors or construction sites, can potentially operate around the clock.

Shipping and logistics company DFDS has successfully utilized electric trucks in ports across Europe and is set to expand its fleet of electric trucks to 225 vehicles.

A growing number of cities and municipalities across the world are creating zero- and low-emission zones, which will severely restrict – or even ban outright – diesel-powered trucks.

Some major cities, such as Paris, Athens, Madrid, Rotterdam and Stockholm, are planning to ban diesel vehicles in their city centers as early as 2025. If your trucks operate in any such zones, a transition to electrification could be the simplest solution to maintain your business.

Across Europe, North America and Asia, governments are offering a range of subsidies and incentives to encourage haulage companies to invest in electric trucks.

There are 16 countries in the EU who currently offer some form of purchasing incentive to help subsidize the cost of an electric truck. For example, in Finland, the government is offering purchasing incentives between €6,000 and €50,000 euros. Outside of Europe, Canada’s Incentives for Medium- and Heavy-duty Zero-Emission Vehicles (iMHZEV) program offers up to CAD$ 200,000 per vehicle in incentives. These are just two notable examples, with many other programs available in other markets.

Over 5,000 companies globally have set themselves science-based targets for reducing carbon emissions – more than half of which include a commitment to net zero.

To succeed, many of them will need zero-emissions transportation in their supply chains. Check what targets your customers have set themselves – and prospective customers. In the coming years, the ability to provide zero-emissions transport could be a defining deal-breaker.

The source of the electricity used to power an electric truck is a vital part of its life-cycle assessment (LCA). If you have access to renewable electricity (wind, solar, or hydropower), you can maximize the environmental benefits of an electric truck and offer your customers zero well-to-wheel emissions. Alternatively, many businesses are installing their own solar panels to secure cheap, renewable energy for their fleets.

While the purchase price of an electric truck is still undeniably higher than its diesel equivalent, the total cost of ownership (TCO) could prove to be far more favorable.

Once you factor in lower fuel, as well as any applicable subsidies, it is entirely possible that an electric truck could be more cost-effective than diesel.