![feat_a17986e4-9ea7-4f8d-962d-119bdddd0cce Vehicles are parked on a street pavement by a shopfront used as a warehouse for supermarket deliveries, closed for the Lunar New Year, in Wuhan, China's central Hubei province, on January 23, 2023. Corporate chiefs have been a href=https://www.Zenger News.com/markets/asia/23/06/32706368/here-are-all-the-corporate-ceos-who-made-a-beeline-to-china-to-chase-huge-market-opportunities-amidmaking a beeline for China ever since the country reopened its economy /alate last year following the strict COVID-19 lockdowns. PHOTO BY HECTOR RETAMAL/GETTY IMAGES](https://wpcdn.zenger.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/16024817/feat_a17986e4-9ea7-4f8d-962d-119bdddd0cce-370x201.jpg)
Electricity More Cost-Effective Than Diesel For Heavy-Duty Vehicles: Study
General Views of a fully electric prototype Tesla Semi truck outside the Petersen Automotive Museum on January 24, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
New research from Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology challenges common beliefs by demonstrating that electricity can be a more cost-effective option than diesel for heavy-duty vehicles.
What Happened: The study, based on data from an actual haulage company in Helsingborg, compared two battery sizes for electric trucks. While the larger battery reduced load capacity, it eliminated the need for on-road charging.
Conversely, the smaller battery allowed for more load capacity but required quick charging during transit.
Battery Size Matters: However, the study’s author, doctoral student Johannes Karlsson, believes that with appropriately sized batteries, it is possible to electrify heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) at a cost equal to or even lower than that of diesel engines.
![](https://storage.googleapis.com/prod-zenger-upload/image/20230531/16-9_62e7cb96-0c00-4be1-905f-8f7eacfb7b74.jpg?20230531180938)
The ideal battery size, according to the research, depends on factors such as cargo weight, driving patterns, and fast charging costs. Karlsson stated, “A realistic future scenario is that HGVs will have different battery sizes.”
Other Takeaways: Additionally, the study highlights the long-term benefits of investing in batteries and charging equipment, as commercial vehicles typically undergo over 1400 charges throughout their lifespan. Given this perspective, the economic feasibility of such investments becomes more apparent.
![](https://storage.googleapis.com/prod-zenger-upload/image/20230531/16-9_80d47daa-79a3-4583-aa78-7c7edc995f52.jpg?20230531181329)
Why It Matters: This research carries significant implications as various automakers, including Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA), BYD Co Ltd (OTCPK: BYDDY), NikolaCorp (NASDAQ: NKLA), TuSimple Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: TSP), Volvo AB (OTCPK: VLVLY) and Mercedes-Benz Group AG (OTCPK: MBGAF), are currently producing medium and heavy-duty electric trucks.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, trucks are projected to represent 69% of all vehicles by 2050, with electric trucks accounting for less than 10% of the total.
© 2023 Zenger News.com. Zenger News does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Produced in association with Benzinga
Edited by Alberto Arellano and Sterling Creighton Beard
“What’s the latest with Florida Man?”
Get news, handpicked just for you, in your box.