by Walther Ploos van Amstel
The article “Modeling the dynamics of freight transport decarbonization: A review and research agenda” (Tavasszy et al., 2026) examines how existing freight transport models largely fail to address the dynamic processes required to achieve climate neutrality. The core question is not whether decarbonization is technically possible, but how long it will take and how reliably …
Freight transport accounts for a substantial share of global greenhouse-gas emissions and is expected to grow strongly in the coming decades. Against this backdrop, a new paper examines how academic research addresses the decarbonisation of road freight and urban logistics. The results reveal a rapidly expanding field that remains surprisingly fragmented and heavily technology-centred. Rapid …
With the new round of the Dutch AanZET subsidy now open, the electrification of heavy-duty road transport is getting another push. It is badly needed. Many carriers still underestimate how fast and how fundamentally the sector is about to change. Decarbonisation requires uncomfortable strategic choices: invest, cooperate, or outsource. Companies without a strategy risk being …
Electric Road Systems (ERS) – allowing trucks to charge while driving via overhead lines, inductive systems, or rail – are often presented as a promising solution for one of the main bottlenecks in heavy-duty electrification: large battery packs, long charging downtimes, and limited range. In theory, ERS could accelerate the shift to clean regional and …
Heavy-duty road transport is one of the most persistent sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing its climate impact is essential to meeting global decarbonisation targets. In their review in Nature, Zhang and colleagues evaluate the feasibility, economic viability, and emissions reduction potential of key clean pathways: chiefly battery electric trucks (BETs), fuel cell electric …
“Why has it suddenly become so expensive?” a long-term customer asked last week when the account manager explained that the company would soon start driving electric trucks. That is a fair question. Anyone looking only at the price tag will be shocked: electric trucks are more expensive to purchase, charging infrastructure adds costs, and planning …
The global road-transport sector is speeding toward electrification. From delivery vans to heavy-duty trucks, the transition to zero-emission transport is gathering momentum. Yet despite clear climate ambitions and growing regulatory pressure, many operators still face the same fundamental obstacle: the high upfront cost of electric vehicles and the infrastructure needed to keep them running. A …
The decision to electrify is logical; almost inevitable. Yet saying goodbye to diesel is far from painless. Those who see the transition merely as adding electric trucks, while neglecting the phasing out of their diesel fleet, risk operational chaos: inefficiencies, reduced CO₂ savings, financial pressure, and a workforce left behind. First, there’s capacity. Halting diesel …
Four major European transport and logistics organisations – IRU, CLECAT, the European Shippers’ Council, and the Global Cold Chain Alliance – have written a joint letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urging her to abandon plans for mandatory zero-emission truck demand targets. While the sector supports the EU’s goal of decarbonising road …
Meeting Europe’s 2030 zero-emission targets for heavy-duty vehicles requires urgent action. While OEMs face binding CO₂ targets, demand-side incentives remain limited, hindering the adoption of operators. Instruments like ETS2, CO₂-based road charges, and subsidies are essential. Hydrogen vehicles, crucial for long-haul, face early-stage market challenges and infrastructure gaps. Infrastructure needs differ: urban fleets can use …