E-Trucks: Models, Range and Cost-Effectiveness

E-Trucks the shift towards emission-free road freight

Electric trucks are no longer a vision of the future. They have become a firm part of European road freight. With the start of series production of models such as the Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 and the battery-electric ranges from Volvo, Scania, DAF and Renault, electromobility has reached heavy-duty transport. Heavy commercial vehicles account for around a quarter of road transport CO2 emissions in the EU. The targets are correspondingly ambitious: by 2040, emissions from heavy trucks are to fall by 90 percent compared with 2019.

For companies, the question is therefore less whether than when and how the switch to emission-free vehicles will succeed. This glossary article explains what defines an e-truck, how far the technology has come, which models and manufacturers shape the market and under what conditions operation pays off.

Contents

1. What is an e-truck
2. Technology battery and range at a glance
3. E-truck models and manufacturers compared
4. Areas of use from distribution transport to long-haul
5. Charging infrastructure and charging strategies for e-trucks
6. Cost-effectiveness and total cost of ownership
7. The often overlooked factor auxiliary consumers and real-world range
8. Challenges and solutions when making the switch
9. Planning e-trucks efficiently with PTV
10. Conclusion

What is an e-truck

An e-truck, also called an electric truck or battery-electric truck, is a truck that draws its drive power exclusively from an electric motor. The energy comes from a rechargeable battery that is charged via the power grid. Unlike diesel, the battery-electric drive converts more than 75 percent of the energy used into motion, while a combustion engine achieves only 35 to 40 percent. This high efficiency of the electric drive is one of the central advantages of the technology.

E-trucks now cover a broad spectrum, from the light distribution truck in the city and the heavy articulated truck to the tractor unit for long-haul. What they all have in common is that they run fully electric and locally emission-free, meaning they produce no exhaust emissions, and are considerably quieter in operation than comparable diesel vehicles. This opens up new delivery windows, for example for night-time deliveries in residential areas.

Technology battery and range at a glance

The heart of every e-truck is the battery. Its capacity is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) and largely determines the range. Current long-haul models have battery capacities of between roughly 400 and 780 kWh. The eActros 600, for example, combines three battery packs into an installed total capacity of 621 kWh and achieves a range of around 500 kilometres under realistic conditions, measured at a gross combination weight of 40 tonnes. Premium models from individual manufacturers now manage 600 to over 700 kilometres.

Beyond pure battery capacity, other factors play a role. The electric motor delivers its torque instantly, which handles heavy loads on inclines with ease. Through recuperation, the vehicle recovers energy when braking and feeds it back into the batteries. Different driving modes allow drivers to adapt power and consumption to the route. Payload matters in practice: because batteries add weight, it is somewhat lower on an e-truck than on a diesel. A 40-tonne vehicle with a standard trailer nevertheless carries around 22 tonnes, which is entirely sufficient for many applications.

E-truck models and manufacturers compared

The market for electric commercial vehicles has become highly differentiated within just a few years. A comparison of the most important manufacturers shows the breadth of available transport solutions:

• Mercedes-Benz Trucks offers the eActros portfolio from heavy distribution transport to long-haul. The flagship eActros 600 is designed for a mileage of up to 1.2 million kilometres over ten years.
• Volvo Trucks electrifies almost its entire range with the FH, FM and FMX and has announced ranges of up to 700 kilometres for the coming generation.
• Scania supplies battery-electric models with battery capacities up to 624 kWh, and up to 728 kWh in future, plus electrified solutions for gross weights up to 64 tonnes.
• DAF covers all areas of use with the XB, XD, XF and XG Electric range and was named International Truck of the Year in 2026.
• Renault Trucks shares its technology with Volvo and, with the E-Tech range, primarily addresses regional and urban transport.
• Designwerk from Switzerland builds individual electric trucks from 18 to 50 tonnes on Volvo and Daimler chassis, with ranges of up to 760 kilometres.

The variety of models means that there is a suitable vehicle for almost every operating profile. The choice should be based on the actual daily mileage, the loads to be transported and the available charging options.

Areas of use from distribution transport to long-haul

In distribution transport and inner-city use, the e-truck plays to its strengths most clearly. Plannable routes with a return to the depot, moderate daily distances and the need for quiet, emission-free operation are an ideal match for the battery-electric drive. Here the technology has long been suitable for everyday use, and an electric distribution truck replaces the diesel without compromise.

Long-haul over long distances is more demanding. Heavy-duty transport over several hundred kilometres calls for large battery capacities and reliable recharging en route. With the eActros 600 and comparable models, this segment has also come within reach: a daily performance of well over 1,000 kilometres is possible when charging takes place during the legally required driver breaks. Container transport and heavy articulated combinations can also be handled electrically today. The development of recent years shows a clear trend: with each new vehicle generation, range grows while charging times fall.

Charging infrastructure and charging strategies for e-trucks

The range of an e-truck is only as useful as the ability to charge it reliably. In charging, a basic distinction is made between depot charging at the company's own yard and public charging at fast-charging stations en route. Depot charging overnight is usually the most economical option, because plannable standstill times and low electricity prices can be used.

For long-haul, high charging power is decisive. Current models charge via the CCS standard at up to 350 to 400 kW. The next step is megawatt charging (MCS), which enables up to 1,000 kW and more via a high-performance charging connector. This makes it possible to fill the battery from around 20 to 80 percent during the 45-minute break taken by long-haul drivers, which means several hundred kilometres of additional range. Manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, Scania, Volvo and MAN have already designed their flagships to be MCS-capable or pre-equipped them accordingly.

The biggest hurdle remains the expansion of public fast-charging infrastructure. As of early 2026, only around 1,800 truck-suitable charging points are available across Europe. For logistics companies this means that anyone switching to e-trucks has to think about charging strategy and route planning together from the outset. Which charging stations, charging bays and charging times are used has a decisive influence on punctuality and cost-effectiveness.

Cost-effectiveness and total cost of ownership

When evaluating an e-truck, it is not the purchase price alone that counts, but the total cost of ownership (TCO) over the entire period of use. It is true that the acquisition costs of a heavy e-truck, at 250,000 to 450,000 euros, are considerably higher than those of a diesel. Over several years of operation, however, the picture often reverses.

Several levers make this happen. Energy costs are lower, because electricity per kilometre is cheaper than diesel and the efficiency is higher. Maintenance costs are lower, because an electric motor has fewer moving parts than a combustion engine and requires neither oil changes nor exhaust after-treatment. Less wear also means fewer downtimes. In Germany, an important factor is added: emission-free trucks are fully exempt from the truck toll until 30 June 2031, whereas diesel vehicles incur a CO2-based toll. With an annual mileage of around 100,000 kilometres, this advantage alone adds up to 15,000 to 20,000 euros per year. Funding programmes and the greenhouse gas quota premium come on top.

Recent analyses conclude that the TCO of e-trucks already matches the diesel level in Germany, or falls below it in many operating scenarios. Rising diesel prices and the energy crisis reinforce this effect, because fossil fuels drive operating costs up further. These cost savings make the switch economically attractive. Individual assessment remains important, because factors such as depreciation rates, residual value, charging split and operating profile strongly influence the result.

The often overlooked factor auxiliary consumers and real-world range

In data sheets and marketing claims, the range stated is usually the one under ideal conditions. In practice, however, the actual range often deviates noticeably, for reasons that rarely receive attention in the discussion: auxiliary consumers.

An e-truck supplies energy not only to the drive but also to numerous power take-offs and auxiliary systems. Refrigeration for temperature-controlled goods, a crane, a tail lift or a tipper body all draw their energy from the same battery as the drive. Cab climate control, heating in winter and the topography of the route also have an effect. At low temperatures, the real-world range can fall considerably, as it can at full payload and on many inclines.

For planning, this means that anyone who wants to assess the range of an e-truck realistically has to consider the entire energy budget and not just the data-sheet figure. A distribution truck with a refrigerated body in inner-city stop-and-go traffic has a completely different consumption profile from a tractor unit on a level motorway. This is exactly where it is decided whether an e-truck reliably completes its planned route. Forward-looking, data-based route planning that factors in payload, weather, topography and charging points turns a theoretical range into a reliable operational basis.

Challenges and solutions when making the switch

Switching to e-trucks brings challenges alongside the opportunities. The most important are:

• High acquisition costs that only pay off over the period of use.
• A public charging infrastructure along the long-haul corridors that is still patchy.
• The grid connection at the depot, which quickly reaches its limits with several charging vehicles and has to be planned early.
• The lower payload and the more precise operational planning that accounts for the limited range.

These hurdles are real, but solvable. Funding programmes and the toll exemption ease the investment costs. Intelligent charge management distributes the load at the depot and uses favourable energy costs. Well-thought-out planning ensures that vehicles, routes and charging processes are optimally coordinated. The key lies in understanding electrification not as a mere vehicle swap, but as a holistic task for fleet management.

Planning e-trucks efficiently with PTV

For the switch to succeed, more than the right vehicle is needed. Software supports companies along the entire value chain, from the strategic decision to daily operation.

For the operational route planning of electric trucks, the PTV EV Truck Route Planner factors in charging times, the availability of charging infrastructure and vehicle-specific parameters. This makes it possible to plan routes that use the range realistically and integrate charging stops sensibly.

When it comes to designing entire delivery processes and routes efficiently, PTV OptiFlow provides route optimisation as a cloud-based software. The software puts routes together so that utilisation, range and costs are in balance, and helps to deploy a mixed fleet of diesel and electric vehicles to best effect.

Strategic questions around electrification are answered by PTV Mira. The AI software supports network and depot design, fleet and electrification strategies as well as investment analysis for different scenarios. This allows questions such as “Which routes can I already run electrically today?” or “How many charging points do I need at which site?” to be answered soundly and quickly.

Conclusion

The e-truck has made the leap from the pilot phase into real operation. Ranges of 500 kilometres and more, a growing choice of models and manufacturers, and increasingly competitive cost-effectiveness make the battery-electric drive attractive for more and more areas of use. Toll exemption, falling operating costs and increasingly strict EU targets for CO2 reduction reinforce this trend.

What is decisive for success is to approach electrification holistically. Vehicle choice, charging infrastructure, operational planning and cost-effectiveness belong together. Companies that shape this change early and on the basis of data not only contribute to environmental protection, but also secure a tangible competitive advantage.

Would you like to know which of your routes can already be run electrically today and how to electrify your fleet cost-effectively? With PTV Mira and the PTV EV Truck Route Planner you make well-founded decisions for the switch. Arrange a strategy consultation.