Scientists rate promotion of e-trucks positively

16.04.2025

Source: E & M powernews

According to a report, the promotion of alternative drive systems in heavy goods transport has proven to be successful. In future, however, it is advisable to set priorities.

The Öko-Institut, the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) and Aproxima Gesellschaft für Markt- und Sozialforschung have evaluated a program funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport for the purchase of climate-friendly commercial vehicles. The researchers found that investments in alternative drive systems have "made a significant contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in road freight transport". This is according to a statement from the Öko-Institut.

The funding program has a cumbersome name: funding program in accordance with the "Directive on the funding of light and heavy commercial vehicles with alternative, climate-friendly drive systems and associated refuelling and charging infrastructure for electrically powered commercial vehicles (pure battery electric vehicles, externally rechargeable hybrid electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles)". However, according to the institutes, the design of the program was evidently viewed positively by the companies that took advantage of the funding, even if some of them criticized the high effort involved in submitting an application and the long processing time.

Between 2021 and 2024, the purchase of more than 6,600 trucks and the construction of around 2,500 charging points were funded. Funds amounting to 919 million euros were provided for this. Assuming a service life of twelve years, the funded vehicles could have saved around 586,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Funding program with lighthouse function in Europe

The scientists see a further positive effect of the subsidy program in the expanded range of vehicle models in parallel with the subsidy program. However, this development is also strongly influenced by the European CO2 fleet limits. According to the evaluation report, the funding rate of 80 percent of the additional costs for heavy battery-electric trucks with a total weight of 12 tons or more has proven to be sufficient to make the vehicles economically competitive with diesel trucks. In contrast, the funding for smaller trucks up to 12 tons tended to be too generous, while it was not enough for fuel cell trucks to position them as an economical alternative to conventional trucks.

The scientists attribute a "lighthouse function" to the funding program in Europe. It also led to the early market development of e-trucks in Germany. However, the market is now unsettled as the program will not run until the planned end in 2026, but was terminated prematurely in 2024.

For future funding measures, the experts recommend focusing on heavy trucks. However, battery electric vehicles and fuel cell trucks should not be lumped together, as the technologies have different levels of maturity. Another focus should be on the rapid expansion of infrastructure - for example by promoting grid connections and stationary electricity storage systems. It goes without saying that the funding measures should be coordinated with the existing regulatory framework for mobility.

The 193-page final report on the evaluation of the funding program for climate-friendly commercial vehicles and infrastructure under the KsNI Directive is available to download from the Öko-Institut website.

Author: Fritz Wilhelm