The European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E) released an analysis on September 28 stating that among the nine major EU truck markets it studied, electric trucks already hold a total cost of ownership advantage in six markets, which together account for 46% of the EU's new heavy truck sales.
Under a scenario of current high diesel prices, electric trucks purchased in 2026 and operated for five years in the Netherlands and Germany could save up to 123,000 euros and 106,000 euros respectively compared to diesel models.
High diesel prices further widen the five-year cost advantage
The study compared the holding and operating expenses of transport companies over five years after purchasing trucks. T&E noted that the economics of electric trucks are being driven by multiple factors, including declining vehicle prices, purchase subsidies, lower road tolls, and the energy cost difference between diesel and electricity.
Under the report's baseline scenario, the five-year cost savings for electric trucks in the Netherlands and Germany reached up to 100,000 euros and 85,000 euros respectively, with the higher initial purchase expenditure recoverable through subsequent savings in about two years. When the current diesel price increase scenario is added, the savings in the two countries rise further to 123,000 euros and 106,000 euros.
The report used the average diesel price in 2025 as a baseline and set a scenario of a 20% diesel price increase from 2026 to 2027. For charging arrangements, it assumed that vehicles mainly recharge at fleet depots, with public charging accounting for 20% of electricity consumption. This setting directly affects the energy bills of electric trucks and the final cost comparison.
Purchase price, tolls, and electricity prices determine differences across countries
T&E identified vehicle price, road tolls, and energy expenditure as the three main factors in cost comparison. Its model shows that purchase costs account for an average of 39% of the total cost of ownership for European electric trucks, compared to 21% for diesel trucks; energy expenditure accounts for approximately 25% and 36% respectively.
National policies also have a clear impact on the results. Germany's toll exemption for electric trucks significantly reduces operating expenses; the Netherlands simultaneously uses toll discounts, vehicle and charging infrastructure subsidies, and a renewable energy credit mechanism related to depot charging to improve fleet investment returns.
Previous research by the International Energy Agency also pointed out that commercial vehicle operators particularly value the economics of the vehicle's full life cycle, but high down payments and financing needs may still hinder small businesses from purchasing vehicles. Its 2025 report estimated that the energy efficiency of a pure electric heavy truck of the same size is about 55% higher than that of a diesel model; at 2024 energy prices, the direct energy cost of EU electric heavy trucks is about one-third lower.
Charging facility utilization also affects costs. The International Energy Agency calculated that increasing charging facility utilization from 5% to 30% could reduce the shared infrastructure cost per kilowatt-hour by about 80%. For logistics fleets with relatively fixed routes and schedules, centralized charging arrangements can help reduce this expenditure.
Megawatt charging begins to meet long-haul transport demand
Supporting infrastructure construction is advancing. On September 14, charging operator Milence, together with Daimler Truck, MAN, and Scania, jointly demonstrated megawatt charging during the IAA Transportation exhibition in Hanover. According to information published by the companies, the vehicles participating in the demonstration charged their batteries to 80% or full within 30 to 45 minutes, demonstrating the feasibility of using driver rest time for recharging.
The demonstration used a charging system with a maximum power of 1,000 kilowatts and was equipped with energy storage devices. Milence stated that the company was already operating nearly 40 charging hubs in nine European markets at that time and plans to increase this to 70 by the end of 2027, with more than half expected to support megawatt charging.
At the release of this report, T&E called on governments to accelerate charging facilities, grid connections, and related approvals, while expanding toll discounts for electric trucks; manufacturers should lower the initial selling price of vehicles by increasing production. The organization believes that stable policies and lower purchase thresholds are key to converting operating cost advantages into fleet procurement demand.
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