The road freight transport sector in the EU alone employs 3.3 million people across over 570,000 companies. More and more long-haul transportation companies are taking the step of investing in fully electric fleets. Electric vehicles have been around for a fair few years now, so why has the long haulage industry only just recently realised the benefits that EV technology could pose?
Here, we explore more into why EV technology is now transforming the long-haul transportation industry.
Global governments enforcing stricter zero-emission energy policies
One of the reasons behind the long-haul transport industry’s sudden move to invest in EV fleets is the hardening of zero-emission energy policies.
The Net Zero Emissions (NZE) was put forward by the International Energy Agency and set a goal for the global energy sector to achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2050, with advanced economies such as the UK, USA, Canada Germany, and France meant to reach this ahead of others. As a result, by 2035, electric-powered trucks will account for approximately 70% of all long-haul transportation trucks in developed countries.
Financial penalties for businesses not meeting rules on emissions
Transportation businesses are also waking up to the importance of using clean fuel owing to the financial penalties they know they can incur as a result of being found to contribute to global warming by pumping out too many harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
For example, HGVs, lorries,?vans?and?specialist heavy vehicles over 3.5?tonnes? travelling in Low Emission Zone areas of London which do not meet Euro IV (PM) European Emission Standard can expect a daily charge of £300! Haulage companies cannot afford to haemorrhage money like this, hence many of them are taking up electric fleets.
EV batteries are becoming safer
Initially, transport companies and everyday drivers alike held scepticism about the safety of EV batteries. However, advancements in technology have enabled car manufacturers and OEMs to make much safer EV batteries, and hence transport and logistics companies are more open to creating fully electric vehicle-powered fleets. New thermal cell barriers with built-in spacing prevent thermal runaway and the spread of thermal energy from one cell to its neighbouring cell, thus reducing the risk of EV batteries overheating.
In short, long-haul transportation companies now feel more reassured about safely sending out their drivers in electric-powered vehicles.
Rise in electric vehicle charging points
When EV technology first came around, electric vehicle charging points were few and far between, however, charging points are now much more commonplace. In August 2023, there were a total of 48,450 electric vehicle charging points across the UK, an impressive increase.
More transportation businesses taking sustainability seriously
With changes in the law and there being an increasing amount of scientific evidence available to the public regarding climate change, more and more transportation companies and choosing to hone in on sustainability. So, another reason why EV technology is transforming the long-haul transportation industry and so much investment is going into it is due to an ever-rising number of these companies putting sustainability and decarbonisation at the front and centre of their core values.
More people getting accustomed to driving EVs
Transport companies hire professional drivers with HGV licences. Luckily for them, in general, there is now a much greater number of individuals who are used to driving EV vehicles in their everyday lives to and from work, going to the shops, dropping off the kids and so on. Therefore, it follows that the drivers they employ nowadays are more savvy about the intricate details of how to drive EVs if they also have a private one at home.
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