Daimler Truck AG is one of many large-scale truck manufacturers leading the push towards the transition to electric heavy vehicle fleets, but board member and Head of Truck Technology Dr Andreas Gorbach has lashed out at “draconian” regulations that are punishing manufacturers for the lack of infrastructure and economic feasibility of the vehicles.
In a thought piece strikingly titled ‘FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION’, Gorbach has argued manufacturers have progressed the feasibility of electric heavy vehicle fleets across the globe, however the lack of public charging infrastructure and slowed the uptake of these vehicles.
As a result, the manufacturers are being hit with penalties for failing to reach CO2 emissions targets. Targets which, according to Gorbach, are often out of the truck-makers’ hands.
“The commercial vehicle industry has been investing billions in decarbonisation for years,” Gorbach says. “All manufacturers have already achieved a great deal here.
“At Daimler Truck, eleven battery-electric truck and bus models are in series production worldwide, as well as a battery-electric city bus with an additional fuel cell for greater range.
“But high prices for green energy and the very low number of public charging and hydrogen refuelling stations are currently slowing down decarbonisation.
“Commercial vehicle manufacturers have little to no influence on either of these factors. Manufacturers, therefore, do not have full control over whether they achieve the specified CO2 targets for 2030.
“In case they do not achieve the targets, they must pay draconian penalties per ton of CO2. The penalties are more than ten times higher than the passenger care industry.”
With those 2030 targets rapidly approaching, Gorbach has outlined the monumental number of charging and refuelling stations that would need to be constructed in the company’s home continent of Europe to meet the oncoming targets.
“In order to achieve CO2 targets in Europe for 2030 approximately 35,000 fast charging points (>800 kW) and 2000 hydrogen refuelling stations for heavy trucks and buses are needed.
“This means, from now on, around 500 new charging points must be built every month, instead we have a total of far fewer than 1000 charging points for heavy commercial vehicles throughout Europe which have too little charging capacity.
“Progress with hydrogen fuelling stations is even slower.
“This is not comparable with the construction of charging points for cars. In addition to higher charging capacity, trucks also require larger parking areas.
“Buses must be able to charge at managed rest stops for their passengers, as well as far off the highway.”
While the technology to produce the electric and hydrogen trucks to an acceptable standard exists, the lack of charging infrastructure is a key area that has slowed the uptake of the vehicles.
Gorbach also argues the cost effectiveness of long-haul diesel transport also needs to be overhauled to further promote the faster implementation of electric heavy transport.
“As long as transport companies earn more by operating diesel vehicles than zero-emission vehicles, the majority of them will stick to diesel,” he says.
“In addition to vehicle cost, high energy prices in particular make it difficult to achieve cost parity between zero-emission and diesel vehicles.
“Pricing CEO emissions into the truck toll is essential for economic efficiency. Germany has led the way here.
“For Europe-wide implementation, 16 other member states must now follow suit because for many companies, transportation tasks go far beyond individual nation borders.”
Read more ATN:
Heavy metal: How US tariffs could hit Australia’s transport sector
VISY Logstics expands Volvo fleet
“National powerhouse” logistics project a decade in the making