The electrification of trucks could bring about long-term cost savings and reputational benefits for many companies. It would also benefit the environment by reducing overall emissions within the transport sector.
IDTechEx’s report, “Electric and Fuel Cell Trucks 2025-2045: Technologies, Markets, Forecasts,” focuses on the drivers of electrification for medium—to heavy-duty trucks and provides detailed insights into the market over the next twenty years.
Unlike passenger cars, trucks are a capital good. They achieve much greater annual mileage and generate an overall fuel consumption of approximately five times that of passenger cars. A truck’s product lifecycle may be around 10 years. In contrast, a passenger car is expected to last only 4 to 6 years, meaning trucks must maintain reliability over a longer period.
While purchasing passenger cars may be tied to other factors, such as prestige or sentimentality, zero-emission trucks focus more on operational, financial, and environmental factors that benefit companies financially. Therefore, many considerations may arise when investing in a new fleet.
The duty cycle range required for electric trucks is a significant factor. Payload weight and volume are also highly prevalent, with long-haul journeys being a primary application for trucks. Charging infrastructure accessibility while on the go is necessary for cross-country journeys. At the same time, a vehicle’s reliability must also be assessed for such use cases.
The frequency with which a truck will likely need servicing or maintenance upkeep is also a huge operational consideration for companies, along with the need to provide driver training.
Electric trucks can cost up to twice as much as a diesel truck. However, since the total ownership costs will likely become lower over the vehicle’s lifecycle than diesel engines, zero-emission trucks will be an investment for many companies.
Excluding upfront costs, maintenance and refuelling/charging will be the primary cost sources during the vehicle’s lifecycle. This may result in companies needing to decide whether purchasing or leasing trucks is the best option financially.
As regulations get stricter around emissions targets, opting for electric trucks now could be a good investment for the future. By 2030, the EU aims to see a 45% reduction in truck emissions, which is expected to increase to 65% by 2035 and 90% by 2040.
However, as of April 2025, the US landscape remains unclear, with the Trump administration pushing back against existing emissions regulations and the Advanced Clean Truck regulation.
Purchasing electric trucks has many potential benefits for the environment and companies. Not only are these trucks contributing to lowering harmful transport emissions, but the reduced noise of large engines may be more pleasant for other road users.
With so much ongoing focus on sustainability and climate change, companies could benefit from more prestigious reputations in their choice to invest in trucks that let the environment breathe. Despite far fewer trucks being sold annually than passenger cars, the gradual movement of electric trucks into the transport sector may also set the tone for other truck companies to follow suit.