A feasibility study has illustrated the potential for battery electric trucks for the future.
As a result, MAN Trucks has welcomed the results and called for improvements.
For example, it highlighted government support for charging infrastructure as a key consideration.
While support was decisive in implementation, it was also a big customer concern.
The feasibility study was the first of its kind on the electrification of regional delivery traffic.
Furthermore, it was based on real company data for a full picture of what needs to change.
Specifically, Fraunhofer evaluated 9,500 truck tours to 543 logistics points.
Therefore, the team could analyse the routes of 224 trucks over 12-tonnes.
In conclusion, lecturer Dr. Patrick Plötz said the findings were clear.
“Currently available ranges of battery trucks are often sufficient today to manage all the urban truck tours analysed.”
In addition, Plötz said the trucks could also manage almost half the regional tours considered with e-trucks.
“With optimised route planning and additional intermediate charging, the potential is even greater,” he added.
“However, for heavy trucks over 26 tonnes with very long daily journeys, electrification still remains a challenge.”
MAN Truck & Bus received the results of the study with great interest, as they confirm its own experience and analyses.
With improved battery technology, many additional applications and routes with electric trucks will be possible and economical.
That’s the view from MAN’s Michael Treier, who was involved in the study.
“An important conclusion is that fleet operators can promptly electrify the technically feasible routes.
“And, in addition, the switch from diesel to BEVs already brings them economic advantages in many cases today.”
Concluding, MAN’s CEO, Andreas Tostmann, said: “The development of charging infrastructure must now have top priority.”
Feasibility study points to BEV trucks for MAN
Feasibility study points to BEV trucks for MAN
