Germany-based development center FEV has published analysis results that show extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) technology could benefit the heavy truck segment.

Not only in terms of CO2 emissions, but also in terms of total cost of ownership (TCO). According to FEV, the TCO of EREVs could be 33 percent lower than that of diesel trucks.

EREV, REEV, or range-extender technology has been used in passenger vehicles for years, popularised by models such as the BMW i3 and the Fisker Karma.

The wheels are driven solely by electric power. At the same time, a combustion engine acts as a generator, using the high energy density of fuel and a more efficient combustion cycle to provide a longer driving range.

EREV cars are hot

Now, the technology has seen a resurgence, notably with Chinese cars, offering a bridge between electrification and the ease of use of a traditional combustion car. But according to FEV, the technology has potential in heavy trucks, too.

As of today, EREV technology is still used sparingly in the trucking sector. Scania and DHL have co-developed an electric truck with a fuel-powered generator, which ran tests last year. It proved useful, with electric mode used over 90% of the time, while being less reliant on public charging infrastructure.

Now, DHL and Scania want to see a political framework for EREV trucks that grants them the same or similar benefits as electric trucks, for example, through road toll legislation – until then, adding even more cost to battery-electric truck models while losing incentives would not be cost-effective for transporters.

‘Purpose-built models could save up to 33% on TCO’

However, an extended-range electric truck developed from the ground up could pay for itself, according to FEV. A purpose-built model, rather than a converted BEV truck, could use a smaller battery with only half the capacity of a fully electric one. That not only saves on costs, but also allows for ‘slow’ AC charging overnight, eliminating the need for more expensive DC chargers at the truck depot.

“Our analysis clearly shows that the range extender makes electric trucks immediately economically and ecologically viable – without waiting for the widespread expansion of high-performance charging infrastructure. This is precisely what is crucial in long-distance transport,” said Dr. Norbert W. Alt, COO of the FEV Group.

How viable? According to FEV, under ideal conditions, an EREV truck could reduce tCO2 by up to 33 percent compared to a diesel truck. This would be in short-distance operation, where the most can be made of the battery power. Even in long-distance driving, transporters could still save 14 percent on TCO.

CO2 savings without having to wait for infrastructure…

And, of course, there’s an ecological benefit, too. EREV trucks could emit up to 82 percent less CO2 than traditional diesel trucks, again according to FEV. And they can be implemented today without waiting on the development of charging infrastructure, thus allowing the road transport sector to meet European CO2 targets faster.

… but where are the vehicles?

But, as always, some question marks remain. The biggest one is that there are no series-production EREV trucks currently available on the European market. FEV’s study is therefore a purely theoretical exercise, without real-world data. Only built-to-order vehicles from specialized companies exist, which makes sense economically only for niche use cases.

That means the technology still needs time to develop, which can take years, especially in a sector where reliability and efficiency are key. At which point, battery-electric trucks and the charging infrastructure needed to run them may be more viable after all.

Will the truck market press pause on electrification, too?

And finally, if the EU offers incentives for EREV trucks, European truck makers may risk being overtaken by Chinese manufacturers with much more experience in EREV and battery technology.

But, as the passenger car market has shown, an immediate switch to fully electric vehicles may not be realistic in the truck market either. In that case, stopgap technologies such as range extenders may prove useful after all.