One in three German hauliers planning to use electric trucks by 2030 – survey

Around one third of German logistics companies plan to use electric trucks by 2030 according to a survey from the think tank the Öko-Institut. Of the over two hundred logistics companies surveyed, 77 percent assume that electric trucks will be standard or at least widely in use by 2030. Hydrogen-fuelled trucks, however, have lost relevance compared to survey data from 2021. 

Electrifying Germany’s fleet of mostly diesel-powered trucks will be crucial to decarbonising road freight transport, which remains the second most significant source of carbon emissions in the transport sector behind passenger cars. 

While there is a growing acceptance that electric vehicles will dominate the industry, ideas differ on how they can be used in practice. 

“A substantial number of logistics companies show gaps in their knowledge about toll regulations and the total cost of using electric trucks,” the authors wrote, highlighting a need for education regarding alternative drives and political measures in the transport sector. Companies also show gaps in knowledge regarding grid connection capacities and electricity prices, they added. 

Charging infrastructure remains a core obstacle for the industry. Half of surveyed companies say a lack of public charging points is a reason why they have not yet bought electric trucks, while a quarter of companies with their own depots are planning to invest in their own charging infrastructure. 

In October, Germany’s transport ministry (BMV) released a draft master plan to ramp up charging infrastructure across the country, including a provision to expand fast charging points for trucks along motorways.