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Heriot-Watt University study, with real DHL data, indicates that electric trucks may reduce individual productivity in freight transport due to battery weight and charging time, requiring larger fleets to maintain the same logistics volume.
The transition to electric trucks in freight transport may require more vehicles in fleets to carry the same volume of goods, according to research from Heriot-Watt University using real DHL data. The study analyzed the route between London and East Midlands Airport and showed that battery weight and charging time can reduce the productivity of each truck compared to diesel models.
Electric trucks may require larger fleets
The electrification of heavy vehicles is often treated as a direct solution to reduce emissions in road transport. However, the research indicates that replacing internal combustion trucks and vans with electric versions involves more complex operational challenges.
The central point lies in the cargo carrying capacity and the time required to keep vehicles in operation. As batteries increase the truck’s weight, less mass is available for goods within the maximum authorized limit.
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This difference may force transport companies to expand their fleets to cover the same routes and move the same volume of products. The unexpected consequence is that electrification, alone, does not guarantee the maintenance of current productivity.
Battery weight reduces cargo space
The analysis highlights that electric trucks carry less payload because part of the permitted mass is already occupied by batteries. In practice, the vehicle has less capacity to transport goods compared to traditional diesel models.
Furthermore, charging stops take longer than conventional refueling. The combination of lower payload and longer downtime can decrease the individual efficiency of each truck in long-distance operations.
The study was conducted as part of the Transit project at Heriot-Watt University, led by researcher Dr. Alex Foote. He stated that it aims to demonstrate that electric trucks for long-distance freight can be viable sooner than expected, with fast and reliable journeys.
Simulations measure impacts until 2050
To understand how the change might progress, researchers created different electrification timelines. The first stage simulates a scenario where 10% of trucks on the analyzed route will be electric by 2030.
Then, the model advances to 50% electric trucks by 2040 and reaches 100% by 2050. The simulation includes the gradual introduction of new vehicles and the charging infrastructure needed to support the operation.
The technique used is agent-based modeling, known as ABM. This method allows simulating how drivers and vehicles interact with each other, with the route, and with the transport system as a whole.
Planning will be decisive in electrification
Despite the obstacles, the authors do not treat the results as a challenge to the viability of electric trucks. The goal is to better understand how these vehicles should be adopted in real operations.
The research seeks to measure how infrastructure, planning, and fleet organization can influence the performance of electrified transport. Using DHL data, researchers began integrating electric trucks into the simulated fleet to observe the impacts according to the frequency and volume of transported loads.
Even starting from a specific corridor in the UK, the conclusions can be applied to other markets. The study shows that the electrification of heavy transport will depend not only on vehicle replacement but also on adjustments to logistics, routes, charging stops, and fleet size.
Ultimately, electric trucks appear as part of a broader change in freight transport. To maintain the same level of activity, companies will need to precisely calculate the effect of batteries, charging times, and available infrastructure.
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