Trend outlook – Electric driven heavy duty trucks
The electrification of cars is seen by many as a large and important part of the solution to make the transport system more sustainable from a climate impact perspective. The most commonly expected solution is electric cars with batteries charged at specific charging stations. Since the driving distance of cars in general is short and the load weight requirement is relatively small, this solution is perceived as feasible for most car owners.
For large trucks the situation is however different. These vehicles carry heavy cargo loads at long distances which presently is impossible with today´s battery technology. Long haul hybrid trucks are therefore developed where electricity is supplied through an electric grid and a pantograph. The concept entails electrified highways and when leaving these routes they are able to operate through the combustion engine or an electric motor and batteries. At present there is a test site for electrified roads at E16 between Sandviken and Storvik in Sweden.
Another solution for electric long haul trucks is to make use of fuel cells that supply the motor with electricity. The fuel cell runs on hydrogen where a chemical reaction transforms hydrogen to electricity and water. From an energy- and climate efficiency perspective the total benefits depends on the production process of hydrogen. If the hydrogen can be produced energy efficient through use of green electricity it is considered to reduce GHG-emissions. COOP in Switzerland started in 2016 to operate a test truck from Esoro driven by hydrogen. The propulsion is based on a 250 kW synchronic motor and the electricity is produced by the fuel cell from hydrogen. In order to support acceleration power need, the truck also carries 120 kWh lithium-ion batteries where braking energy is recovered. The range for the 31 kilo hydrogen on board is 375-400 km.
Trucks driven by today´s battery technology have its limitation regarding weight and distance capacity. On the other hand, “the last mile” transport with light and bulky goods is a substantial part of the transport chain, often in urban areas. In urban areas, silent and air pollutant free trucks would contribute considerable to inhabitants living quality. Mercedes recently launched an electric truck for this purpose.
Read more about these projects: