German, French economic advisors champion battery-electric trucks to decarbonise freight transport
Clean Energy Wire
Economic experts in Germany and France are calling for the two countries to coordinate strategies in the decarbonisation of road freight transport. In a joint statement, the Franco-German Council of Economic Experts and France’s Conseil d'analyse économique (CAE) said policymakers should focus support on boosting the use of battery-electric trucks (BET). “While numerous solutions for decarbonising road freight transport may become technically viable in the long run, not all are equally practical in the short to medium term,” they state. “BET have emerged as the most promising solution for rapid decarbonisation, particularly in short and medium-distance freight transport, where they already offer cost advantages and operational readiness.”
The economists emphasised that the decarbonisation of road freight transport was “essential for achieving the EU’s climate targets, as the sector remains a major emitter of greenhouse gases.” Emission reductions in transport continue to lag behind other sectors despite ambitious EU policies, the advisory bodies added. “As the EU’s largest economies, France and Germany have a special responsibility to lead the way in freight transport decarbonisation,” they stressed. Aligning the countries’ strategies “would strengthen domestic policies, improve infrastructure interoperability and accelerate EU-wide regulatory alignment.”
The bodies also recommend a Europe-wide standardisation of freight transport policy; public funding to accelerate the deployment of megawatt chargers along highways and at private depots; and support for the European BET manufacturing sector. The statement also calls for limiting funding for alternative fuels such as hydrogen. The economists recommended targeted rail investments, particularly in high-volume corridors and cross-border flows. But they noted that a general modal shift towards rail freight is unrealistic in the near future due to the current fragmentation of European rail networks and logistical constraints.
