Trucks with alternative drive systems – current market situation regarding vehicles and infrastructure
enERSyn Focus Paper #4
Authors: Hendrik Beeh, Dominik Räder, Julius Jöhrens, Hinrich Helms
The electric truck population has developed positively in recent years - probably also initiated by the funding programme. It is currently unclear whether the positive trend will continue without subsidies. Battery trucks clearly dominate here, while hydrogen (H2) has so far had problems establishing itself on the market, although the range of models on offer has recently grown significantly.
H2 technology for trucks has therefore hardly been used in operational practice to date and is being pursuit with low intensity as long as it is unclear whether the economic and regulatory framework will enable its operation on a broad front in the future. Important aspects here are H2 procurement and allocation as well as fuel legislation, in particular the greenhouse gas reduction quota.
H2-activities are currently mainly taking place with retrofitters, while manufacturers are still holding back. Nevertheless, most manufacturers want to keep the option open and are therefore offering models or planning to do so.
While the inadequate public filling station infrastructure is a major showstopper for H2 trucks, a lot can be achieved for battery trucks without public charging infrastructure via depot charging. There are already numerous activities in this area. The cost structure generally provides incentives to avoid energy procurement from public infrastructure if the necessary depot charging infrastructure can be realised.
Vehicle manufacturers are now proactively building or designing an ecosystem for the operation of battery trucks, both in the area of depot and public charging infrastructure. This underlines the fact that battery trucks are firmly planned for achieving the fleet targets. Manufacturers are much more cautious when it comes to other technologies such as battery swopping and electric road systems.
Pay-per-use models are offered for both battery and H2 trucks and also cover energy costs. They have the strategic advantage that the actual cost structure of these vehicles can be hidden from the operators and the use of the vehicles can therefore be controlled by the supplier.
The paper is available in German.