Electric trucks – utopia or the future?

More than 70% of transport emissions in the EU come from road transport, of which up to 27% relate to heavy vehicles, which include trucks, buses and coaches. Unfortunately, transport is a sector where emissions are still on the rise, which is why the European Commission, with the development of the European Green Deal and the ‘Fit for 55’ package, is gradually increasing emission reduction targets for road transport.

There are many innovations that can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transport industry. One of these is hybrid and electric vehicles. In 2023, 5279 electric trucks with a maximum permissible weight of more than 3.5 t will be registered in the European Union. In Poland, we have just over 100 of these.

More and more manufacturers are entering the electric truck market, offering a variety of models to suit transport needs, e.g:

• Tesla: The Tesla Semi model, unveiled by Elon Musk, is gaining popularity thanks to its impressive performance, long range and advanced technology.
• Mercedes-Benz: the eActros series are electric trucks that are already on the market and offer various configurations for different transport applications.
• MAN: MAN eTGE and MAN eTrucks are electric solutions that are tailored to the needs of urban and regional transport.
• Volvo: FH Electric, FM Electric, FMX Electric, FE Electric and FL Electric electric models
• Scania: Scania offers electric trucks for urban transport that are adapted to the requirements of working in low-emission areas.
• BYD: Chinese company BYD produces electric trucks that are popular in many countries, especially in Asia and North America.
• Peterbilt: Peterbilt 579EV model
• Freightliner: eCascadia model designed for long-distance transport.
• Nikola: Nikola Motors, although better known for developing hydrogen-powered vehicles, is also planning electric trucks such as the Nikola Tre.
• Iveco: The Iveco e-Daily model is an electric version of the popular van series, tailored to urban transport needs.

Part of the effort to support the transformation of transport to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly one is the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management's programme related to subsidies for electric trucks in Poland, called: ‘Support for the purchase or lease of zero-emission vehicles of categories N2 and N3’. The European Investment Bank has approved this programme, and a total of PLN 2 billion will be allocated for subsidies.

The aim of the programme is to promote the use of electric trucks, contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions and improvement of air quality. Subsidies can range from a few to several dozen per cent of the value of the vehicle, depending on its technical parameters and intended use. In order to benefit from the subsidies, entrepreneurs must meet certain conditions, such as registering the vehicle in Poland and running a business.

The European Investment Bank's approval has also been given to two other support programmes that should be launched soon, covering the development of public charging stations for heavy transport and the construction and expansion of electricity networks for high-power charging stations.

The Ministry of Infrastructure has prepared a draft law introducing the EU Road Charging Directive 2022/362, making road tolls dependent on a vehicle's CO2 emissions. If the bill is adopted, the following three components will be paid by drivers under the electronic toll: the infrastructure charge (differentiated according to the EURO class of the vehicle), the CO2 charge (depending on the CO2 emission class) and the air pollution charge (differentiated according to the EURO emission class).

Will the new regulations encourage hauliers to buy new, greener trucks? Time will tell. There is no doubt that this is an extremely expensive and ambitious challenge for the whole industry.

Author: Wioletta Mazur