Will Electric HGVs Be Better Than Diesel?

With fuel prices currently sky high and the environmental damage to our environment from fossil fuels a greater concern than ever before, it is understandable that many people are making the switch away from petrol and diesel. There has been a boom in the sale of electric vehicles as these are now stylish, practical and more affordable than they used to be. However, if you drive an HGV for a living, making the change away from diesel has not proved to be quite so simple.

Electric cars took a long time to develop their technology well enough to compete realistically with their petrol and diesel counterparts as there were a lot of hurdles that needed to be overcome. However, when it comes to applying this same technology to HGVs, the hurdles become even bigger. So, will electric HGVs ever really be better than diesel ones? Walker Movements decided to investigate.

Electric HGV challenges

When it came to producing electric cars, we spent decades looking at funny little things that hummed and buzzed and could just about pull a single person to the end of the road. It took a lot of money, research and a hint of genius before giants like Tesla were able to produce road cars that could cover large amounts of miles, charge quickly and keep pace with everything else on the road.

Many of the problems that were encountered centred around the batteries that were needed. It proved difficult to produce batteries that could hold the power that was needed without doubling the weight of the car. This is something that has been overcome in road cars but presents its own challenges when trying to build vehicles that are the immense weight of an HGV.

When a truck can weigh 18 tonnes, the batteries that have been developed so far are simply not powerful enough to move them, and increasing the size or number of batteries only adds to the problem. This means that their range has been severely limited and charging times can be lengthy, making long distance electric trucking seem like an impossible dream.

Electric HGV progression

For a long time it seemed like electric cars would not be a success but they are now a regular feature on our roads, and so a number of truck manufacturers have progressed with their plans for electric HGVs and they seem to be taking off.

UK truck manufacturer Tevva has created Britain’s first electric 7.5 tonne truck, which has a range of 110 miles, making it perfect for the kind of short-haul freight that these types of trucks deal with.

Most truck drivers will be familiar with DAF and they are leading the charge when it comes to electric HGV development in Europe by creating trucks that offer a range of 310 miles and one of the fastest charging times of just 2 hours.

Other big manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Renault, IVECO, MAN and Scania are also putting their know-how into building their own electric HGVs and there are now models available with ranges that can vary depending on their size.

Affordability

One of the biggest drawbacks of electric HGVs is their cost. Whilst these vehicles can cut emissions and reduce the amount spent on fuel, they are still incredibly expensive. The HGV industry has been through a lot in recent years and many businesses simply cannot afford the massive outlay that is currently needed to buy a fleet of electric trucks. However, the price of electric cars came down eventually, and it is predicted that electric HGVs will be more cost competitive by 2030, which will hopefully make them a viable option for more businesses.

It is also worth remembering that electric HGVs do not currently pay any road tax in the UK, so there are savings to be made in the short term until the laws change in 2025. There are also government grants in place to help promote the use of electric HGVs, with the Plug-In Van Grant (PIVG) offering as much as £25,000 off the price of an electric HGV weighing more than 12,000kg and with a range over 96 km.

Speed

Anyone who has driven an electric car will know that they can get up to speed much quicker than a petrol or diesel car. However, this is not the goal when developing electric HGVs, as there is a greater focus on the torque, cargo capacity and efficiency.

Infrastructure

Another challenge that drivers of electric trucks will face at the moment is the lack of infrastructure that is in place for them. Charging stations for HGVs are currently limited and as they take so long to charge, the few spots that are available might be occupied for a long period of time. It is hoped that as sales increase, the infrastructure will be put in place to support this and make it easier to charge a truck and get back on the road in less time.

Hydrogen

For many years, it has been known that hydrogen could really be the cleanest solution to powering our vehicles, but harnessing the relevant technology has proved to be a much more challenging case to crack. However, certain manufacturers have not given up on this as an option, and it seems like it might still be something for the future.

Tevva have created a hydrogen version of their 7.5 tonne truck giving it a mileage of 272 miles and a refuelling time of just 10 minutes.

Whilst the leaps forward in the world of HGVs have not kept pace with commercial road cars, it is clear that change is coming and they will soon be able to compete with diesel HGVs on all fronts.

The biggest manufacturers are now aware that they have a responsibility to provide the haulage industry with workable electric solutions and they are quickly using the knowledge that is already out there to develop trucks that will soon be as good, if not better than anything that we have had before. We just might not be quite there yet.