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Batteries dominate future road freight—but hydrogen still has a role to play

Battery technology is reshaping the future of logistics by offering cleaner, more efficient, and sustainable alternatives to traditional fossil fuels. This blog post explores how innovations in battery chemistry, energy storage systems, and electric vehicle adoption are transforming the road transport sector. It answers key questions about how logistics companies are leveraging these advancements to improve efficiency, reduce emissions, and unlock new operational capabilities. Discover the breakthroughs driving this evolution and the strategic role they play in electrifying freight, improving supply chains, and meeting global sustainability goals. From electric trucks to solid-state batteries, the future of logistics is being powered by smarter energy solutions.

Battery-electric trucks are expected to play the leading role in the future decarbonization of road freight transport. At the same time, a new study from Chalmers University of Technology shows that hydrogen could remain important for the heaviest trucks operating over long distances.

In the study, "Battery-Electric vs. Hydrogen: Modeling the decarbonization pathways and environmental trade-offs of global road freight," published in Advances in Applied Energy, researchers at Chalmers analyzed future road freight systems using a global energy model that considers costs, technology choices, energy supply and climate targets.

The results show that battery-electric trucks are the most cost-effective solution across most truck segments, particularly for regional transport. For the heaviest trucks with long daily driving ranges, however, hydrogen continues to play an important role.

"Overall, our research suggests there are strong reasons to pursue multiple fossil-free solutions as the transport sector decarbonizes. Relying on parallel pathways can reduce the risk that scaling up a single solution creates new challenges related to limited resources such as minerals, land or water," said Maria Grahn, associate professor in environmental and energy sciences at Chalmers University of Technology.

The researchers also examined how the results change if battery and hydrogen technologies become cheaper more rapidly than expected. When battery costs decline, the model favors a larger share of battery-electric vehicles, including in heavier truck segments. Equivalent cost reductions for hydrogen technologies, however, have only a limited impact on technology adoption.

One unexpected finding is that the model often favors hybrid solutions combining batteries and fuel cells, balancing driving range, energy efficiency and overall cost.

The study was conducted by Fayas Malik Kanchiralla, Maria de Oliveira Laurin, Selma Brynolf and Grahn, all affiliated with the Department of Environmental and Energy Sciences at Chalmers University of Technology.

The researchers also emphasize that neither battery-electric nor hydrogen-powered trucks can become a large-scale climate solution without a substantial expansion of fossil-free electricity generation. The decarbonization of road freight is therefore closely linked to continued investments in wind and solar power.

"When electrification is key for decarbonizing road freight, it is also important to consider how quickly fossil-free electricity generation can be scaled up globally. By embedding life-cycle thinking directly into large-scale energy optimization modeling, we can identify which pathways are truly sustainable across the entire energy system," said Kanchiralla, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Environmental and Energy Sciences.

Electrifying freight: battery-powered heavy goods vehicles...Battery-powered and hydrogen fuel cell technologies are driving the energy transition in the UK’s heavy goods vehicle market. By 2050, electric HGVs are expected to dominate road freight, with hydrogen playing niche roles in long-haul and heavy-duty segments. UK research in high-energy-density batteries, particularly solid-state and lithium-sulfur, will be crucial for global leadership in the electrification of freight.

The Insight:

-Explores the role of the HGV sector as a significant part of the UK’s economy and the challenges of decarbonising the sector.

-Assesses the size of the battery-powered HGV market at the UK and Global level.

-Outlines the performance characteristics of battery technology for different applications across the HGV sector.

-Analyses UK depot-based charging and public charging infrastructure.

-Proposes actions to develop and support the UK HGV industry.

The transition to low- or zero-carbon HGVs is advancing rapidly, albeit from a low current uptake, with battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell drivetrains emerging as the most viable options for mass market adoption. HGVs will be subject to a UK government mandate to phase out the sale of petrol and diesel HGVs by 2040, with different timelines by vehicle class. Along with the requirements imposed by regulations, consumers and freight operators will also influence the choice of technologies.

The adoption of BEVs is driven by cost reductions and efficiency improvements. The sharp decline in battery costs has already positioned BEVs as the most cost-effective alternative option to diesel in many applications when considering the total cost of ownership, particularly in urban and short-haul duty cycles. By 2040, BEVs are expected to comprise 45% of the UK commercial vehicle stock, increasing to 80% of the stock by 2050. Hydrogen FCEVs, however, are likely to remain a niche solution, particularly suited to high-payload and long-range applications.

To support the transition to battery electric HGVs and address the operational demands of the freight industry, the following strategic actions are recommended:

Invest in next-generation technologies, such as solid-state batteries and silicon anodes, to accelerate advancements in battery energy density and reduce ultra-fast charging times, supporting long-haul applications and heavy payloads.

Promote the UK production of HGV-specific battery systems, particularly high-capacity packs for long-haul vehicles and advancements in thermal management, cycle life and weight optimisation.

Upgrade and expand the HGV-specific UK charging infrastructure, particularly strategically located public ultra-fast charging points on the SRN as well as depot-based solutions.

Invest in grid capacity upgrades and power supply resilience to ensure the charging network meets the energy demands of an increased electric HGV fleet, with investment focused on high-demand freight corridors and urban logistical hubs.

Integrate renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, into charging infrastructure to reduce reliance on conventional power grids, and lower energy costs.

Strengthen collaboration among energy providers, policymakers and industry stakeholders (Road Haulage Association, Logistics UK etc.) to address technical and logistical challenges, particularly in coordinating depot and public charging networks.

Achieving a zero-emission heavy-duty vehicle fleet by 2050 is feasible but will necessitate extensive planning, coordination and investment in infrastructure, alongside robust government policy support. With targeted efforts across industry and government, the transition to zero-emission HGVs has the potential to reduce dependency on imported fuels, create new jobs and position the UK as a leader in the electrification of freight.

Why hydrogen still has a role to play in the future of road freight transport...Hydrogen serves as a critical complement to battery-electric vehicles in road freight, specifically acting as a decarbonization solution for heavy-duty, long-haul transport. While batteries dominate regional trips, hydrogen remains essential for long distances due to three main operational benefits:

Fast refueling: Hydrogen fuel cells allow trucks to refuel in 10 to 20 minutes, mirroring the downtime of traditional diesel.

High energy density: It has a higher energy-to-weight ratio than lithium-ion batteries. This avoids the massive battery weight of heavy-duty electric trucks, preserving vital payload capacity.

Extended range: Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) typically achieve ranges between 700 and 1,000 kilometers on a single tank, ideal for cross-country logistics.

The transition to hydrogen requires significant scaling of infrastructure and zero-emissions power generation. However, long-haul trucking accounts for a large share of freight emissions, making hydrogen an indispensable tool alongside batteries to achieve full decarbonization.

Provided by Chalmers University of Technology