The aim of the NextETRUCK project is to test medium-sized battery-electric trucks for peri-urban purposes. While our research- and test pilot efforts are commencing well, NextETRUCK partners and other AEVETO projects are aiming to highlight various challenges that the road freight industry is facing.
NextETRUCK project coordinator TNO shed light on the current state of the decarbonisation efforts during a recent webinar, which was attended by around 40 stakeholders. NextETRUCK is inviting you to read the summary below and watch the recording here.
Various questions
The decarbonisation of the road-freight industry is a significant challenge that raises various questions:
- What is the current industry standard for charging-, refueling and battery technology?
- What fuel- or battery technology is most suitable for long- or medium-haul trips?
- Which is the expected life-cycle of a battery-electric heavy-duty truck?
- What type of infrastructure investments need to be made?
The webinar shared research that provides preliminary answers about these and other complex questions, exploring the candidates to meet net-zero by 2050.
Challenge 1: Decarbonisation
The existing EU regulations and -emission targets, as well as use cases of long-haul freight delivery provide a clear but highly ambitious roadmap for the sector, which include different transitory pathways from internal combustion engines to battery-electric or hydrogen-powered HGVs. The decisive factor of the latter also depends on its production and distribution channels, which were showcased in the presentation by TNO.
HGV charging infrastructure on the other hand demand significant space around highway resting areas and petrol stations. Furthermore, a network of highspeed charging solutions for HGVs need to be built to safeguard a smooth delivery of goods. The requirements of such infrastructure also depends on the end user and its daily trip patterns, which were explained by TNO with several examples.
Challenge 2: Vehicles
The vehicles that are currently being developed by NextETRUCK and other AEVETO projects create innovations towards the next generations of electric trucks in terms of design and operation. Whereas the first generation mainly focused on the modification of existing ICE chassis, the second generation features higher levels of electric powertrain integration. The third generation will include an optimised placement of the battery pack and the right size of components starting from a cleansheet design. Several vehicle aspects, such as battery packs, e-axle and other powertrain components are currently being developed by European OEMs. Thus, TNO provided an overview of the latest models that were presented during IAA 2024.
Challenge 3: The infrastructure
Driving & rest times, charging speeds, grid connection, charging standards, and space management along major European corridors are just several aspects that need to be taken into consideration for the European-wide rollout of zero-emission HGVs. The important of truck Digital Twins were highlighted, with real-world examples and lessons learnt.
European frameworks, such as the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation are a good starting point. Nevertheless, different aspects such as permitting and future-proof charging technology are just some of the hurdles outlined in the webinar.