Battery Powered Trucks
Battery Powered Trucks utilize electric batteries as their primary source of power, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional diesel-powered trucks. These vehicles are becoming more prevalent in Europe due to advancements in battery technology and supportive policies.
The Challenge of Scale: Capacity and Weight
The sheer scale of the battery in a heavy-duty truck is astounding.
Capacity (kWh): An electric car might have a 60-80 kWh battery. A modern long-haul battery-powered truck requires a pack with a capacity of 600 kWh or more. This massive capacity is necessary to provide a useful driving range while moving up to 40 tonnes of gross vehicle weight.
Weight: This capacity comes at a cost: weight. A 600 kWh battery pack can weigh 4 to 5 tonnes. This is the fundamental trade-off in electric trucking. Every kilogram dedicated to the battery is a kilogram that cannot be used for revenue-generating cargo, or "payload." This is why increasing energy density (storing more energy in less weight) is the holy grail of battery RD.
Battery Chemistry: The NMC vs. LFP Debate
The choice of battery chemistry is a critical strategic decision for manufacturers. The two main lithium-ion chemistries being used are:
Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC): This chemistry offers a higher energy density, meaning it can store more energy for a given weight. This is a significant advantage for long-haul trucks where minimizing battery weight to maximize payload is crucial.
Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP): This chemistry has a slightly lower energy density, meaning an LFP pack will be heavier than an NMC pack for the same range. However, LFP has major advantages: it is significantly cheaper, it does not use cobalt (a problematic material), it is generally safer, and it can endure a much higher number of charge-discharge cycles, giving it a longer lifespan.
As of 2025, many truck makers are using NMC for their flagship long-range models, but there is a strong industry trend towards using LFP for medium-duty and regional-haul trucks where the absolute maximum range is less critical than durability and cost.
The Future: Solid-State and Beyond The industry is looking ahead to the next generation of battery technology. Solid-state batteries, which replace the liquid electrolyte with a solid material, promise a step-change in energy density and safety. While still in development, they are seen as the key technology that could one day make a 1,000 km electric truck a reality.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: How big is the battery in an electric truck compared to an electric car? A1: It's enormous. A heavy-duty electric truck's battery pack can have a capacity of 600 kWh or more, which is about 8-10 times larger than the battery in a typical electric car.
Q2: Why is the battery's weight such a big issue for trucks? A2: The weight of the battery directly reduces the truck's legal payload capacity—the amount of cargo it can carry. Since trucking companies make money by hauling cargo, minimizing battery weight is a top priority.
Q3: What are LFP batteries and why are they becoming popular for trucks? A3: LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) is a type of lithium-ion battery chemistry. It's becoming popular for trucks because it is cheaper, more durable (offers more charge cycles), and doesn't contain cobalt, even though it is slightly heavier than other chemistries like NMC for the same amount of energy.
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