Objective of Task

The aim of Task 27 is to:

• Summarise the status of electrified transport logistic vehicles and infrastructure technologies, implementation and hurdles,
• Identify early niche markets and commercialisation opportunities for electrified transport logistic vehicles,
• Provide policy recommendations for further research and deployment activities.

The focus of Task 27 is on electric road freight transport vehicles and on related charging/fuelling infrastructure. This includes:

• Light commercial vehicles, medium and heavy freight trucks,
• Battery electric technology coupled with conductive, inductive charging infrastructure or battery-switch stations,
• Hybrid electric technology (coupled with catenary charging),
• Fuel cell trucks coupled with hydrogen fuelling stations,
• Transport tasks and distances focused on urban and conurbation areas.

Working Method

In general, the Task reflected a networking activity by the exchange of information and answers to questions from participating members. The working method comprises:

• Workshops: External experts from industry, research organizations, and technology policy institutions around the world are invited to refer and discuss about the topics of consideration,
• Desk work: Review of documents and data, providing information and assistance to pre- and post-processing operations, and
• Public outreach: Working results will be published and discussed for example on conferences, within papers and within a final report.

Results

The results of Task 27 are presented in the final report. The outcome of all activities including the four workshops, the vehicle database (includes about 120 electrified transport logistic vehicles), and the project profiles for demonstration projects are described. Key recommendations are to further develop the policy framework by a close coupling between all relevant stakeholders; to define an integral European vision with a more integrated city management approach; to reward frontrunners through subsidies, parking and loading spaces, and time windows for loading-unloading zones; to strengthen and support cross-company, cross-sectoral and multi-institutional cooperation; and to intensify research on the applicability of heavy EFVs in regional delivery and long-distance haulage.

The first Task 27 workshop “Electric transport logistic vehicle technology and its application” was held in Stuttgart (Germany) on March 19, 2015. Dedicated topics at the workshop were:

• The state of battery and fuel cell technology for transport logistic vehicles
• Experiences from demonstration projects in Germany – benefits and challenges
• Hurdles of implementation and possible solutions

The second Task 27 workshop “Experiences and prospects of electric freight vehicles” was held in Amsterdam (the Netherlands) on April 12th, 2016. Dedicated topics at the workshop were:

• City and country perspectives
• Early adopters of electric freight vehicles
• Infrastructure for charging

The third Task 27 workshop “Electric freight vehicles – out of niche into mass market” was held in Vienna (Austria) on October 19th, 2016. Dedicated topics at the workshop were:

• Electric freight vehicles as pillar of sustainable logistics
• Governmental perspectives and implementation plans for electric freight vehicles
• Performance and limits of electric freight vehicles
• eDrive system designs for electric freight vehicles

The fourth Task 27 workshop “The Road to Electrification of Logistics” took place in Coventry (United Kingdom) on April 26, 2017. Dedicated topics at the workshop were:

• Regional stakeholder approach to electrification of transport logistics
• Planned and ongoing pilots supporting electrification of transport logistics
• Overcoming the technical challenges to electrification of transport logistics

The results from the workshop included:

• High investment costs for electric trucks (about three times higher compared to conventional diesel trucks) is the main barrier for application.
• Reaching cost-effectiveness of trucks is difficult due to low profit margins within the transport sector.
• Reliability of electric trucks is highly volatile.
• The lack of technical support for electric trucks leads to longer downtimes compared to conventional diesel trucks.
• The lack of experience along with technical issues generate “organizational range anxiety“: overcautious route planning and dispatching.
• A better way to support the mass adoption of the alternatively fueled technology is to give them a long-term competitive advantage. Reward frontrunners e.g. via privileges (subsidies, parking and loading spaces, time windows for loading-unloading zones, etc.) for electric vehicles and build platforms for sharing knowledge.
• A supportive government policy is still of high importance for the wider uptake of electric trucks.
• Strong appeal to develop an integral European vision on electrical distribution.
• The majority of fleet managers declare a period of three to four years as the period of amortization in which they expect to recover the purchase price of an electric vehicle.