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fliptop [soylentnews.org] writes:

Prices of emissions-free trucks need to fall by as much as half to make them an affordable alternative to diesel models, a study by consultancy firm McKinsey published [mckinsey.com] on Wednesday said, a necessary step to help achieve European Union climate targets [reuters.com]:

Less than 2% of the EU's heavy freight vehicles are now electric and hydrogen-powered. To meet the bloc's carbon emission reduction targets, the share should rise to 40% of new sales by 2030, the study released before the IAA Transportation 2024 truck show in Hanover showed.

Currently production costs for electric trucks are 2.5-3 times higher than for diesel ones, the study said, and with logistics firms unwilling to accept higher costs for emissions-free freight, that goal is still distant.

To overcome that, prices for new electric trucks should be no more than 30% higher than for diesel models, McKinsey said, which would require a technological leap in batteries.

For successful implementation of the EU's CO2 strategy, a 25% cut in charging costs is also needed, the study showed, with 900,000 private charging points to be installed in Europe by 2035, which would require a $20 billion investment.

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