Abstract Battery electric trucks are rapidly gaining importance in road freight transport. Although they still account for only a small proportion of the vehicle fleet, there is strong momentum in terms of new registrations, the models on offer and the charging infrastructure. Battery trucks are likely to soon have a lower total cost of ownership than diesel trucks for many applications. At the same time, their high energy efficiency means that they incur significantly lower overall costs in the energy system than other low-emission alternatives such as hydrogen or e-fuels. Battery-electric trucks are therefore the key technology for achieving climate targets in road freight transport. One potential bottleneck for their use is the charging infrastructure with the necessary grid connections. If there are significant delays here, complementary technologies such as battery swapping systems or dynamic charging while driving could play a role. However, they are not equivalent alternatives to the ramp-up of battery trucks and stationary charging infrastructure. A clear political focus on battery electric drives and the provision of the necessary grid connections is advisable.
Schill et al. (2026) studied this question.