For example, by 2030, the EU wants new heavy vehicles to reduce their CO2 emissions by 45%, then by 90% in 2040. Athus, the entire sector of transportation of goods must lead the way. However, although certain industrial initiatives are interesting, collaboration between all players in the ecosystem must accelerate to achieve convincing results.
At this stage, public incentive mechanisms And private are essential. If ADEME[1]via the “Futures in Transition” project, supports transporters in their transition (in particular by facilitating the acquisition of heavy electric vehicles) but the public charging network remains a blind spot for governments.
Electrification requires the mobilization of all living forces
According to figures from the French Ministry of Ecological Transition, in 2019, trucks represented 7% of total national greenhouse gas emissions.[2]. Demand for internal freight transport will increase by 12% by 2050 compared to 2019. In addition to this internal demand, transit traffic is expected to increase from 57.7 billion tonne-kilometers in 2019 to 61.7 in 2030 and 64.7 in 2050[3]. The electrification of transportation road of goods, as well as intermodality And loading optimization And routes, constitute an essential lever in the transition towards a transportation more sustainable.
But time is running out And if we need to reduce emissions carbontraffic road East the first sector to have to make this transition. The pitfall to avoid would be to reproduce the measures taken for individuals without taking into account the needs of the professional sector of the transportation road of goods to reduce its emissions carbon. On the contrary, a dedicated structure And Heavy-duty principles are the best direction to take.
And when it comes to transportation of goods, the entire value chain must be taken into account in order to put in place a system that works. The adoption of electric trucks does not rely solely on the affordability of the vehicles. These vehicles must rely on networks that make them truly usable, offering carriers And drivers with a reliable experience that ultimately contributes to a positive total cost of ownership for electric trucks. Given the importance of the investments to be made for this network, And in a very short time And with a lot of uncertainty, the support of private actors by the State East necessary.
Beyond public funds, it East important to know that the establishment of these networks also depends on the possibility of acquiring or renting suitable land, in terms of size, constructability And location. In certain regions it may be Or competition East strong, of a difficult project which requires the support of all those responsible understanding that it East necessary to provide businesses with solutions to help them move goods from point A to point B so they can operate.
All these criteria must also align with the ability to connect to the electricity network, taking into account the amount of energy required to operate a truck charging station, but also the ability to connect to the network within a time frame consistent with the urgency of decarbonizing the transportation merchandise. All with an acceptable cost.
By putting people at the center of concerns, it will be possible to lastingly change the sector And the economy
He East essential to act in favor of the transition from diesel to electric, but stating this obvious fact will not help things move forward. To achieve this sustainability objective, we must take into account two different parameters: how to better take into consideration the truck drivers who are at the heart of this transformation, And what East currently necessary in a broader economic perspective.
Today, truck drivers are subject to multiple sources of stress while on the road. The manufacturers understood this And provide their customers with vehicles, in particular by developing an electric offer, that are more efficient and more practical And more comfortable. This helps reduce stress on drivers on the road. However, according to TAPA [4]France is one of the countries Or cargo thefts are the most common, with over 800 incidents reported in the first 9 months of 2023. 17.4% of these incidents were reported as being “related to unsecured parking locations”. If these problems cannot be completely eliminated, a solution must be found to provide professionals with a secure place, protecting goods, vehicles, but above all people. We must also provide a response to the important issues of accessibility to daily services, hygiene and catering services. And to pleasant rest areas.
This must be included in a broader economic reflection on the sector, which must be led by the government. Indeed, at present, itEast the private sector that invests the most in infrastructure And in training industry professionals to make this transition a success. There can be no momentum without support And the conviction of the public authorities. Transforming a sector requires momentum. Multilateral collaboration between civil society, governments And non-governmental organizations East essential. VS’East the only waywe to pave the way for a sustainable economy And make the sector more competitive. France has the capacity to lead this change, being today the European example of the good management of a national electricity network, with some of the best technologies And methods tested And proven in the world.
[1] Ecological Transition Agency
[2] Roadmap: Decarbonization of the heavy vehicle value chain, April 2023, Ministry of Ecological Transition (page 13)
[3] Preliminary study on the impact of industrial and logistics transformations by 2050 presented during CILOG 2023, December 2023, DGITM (Appendix 5)
[4] TAPA (Transported Asset Production Association): professional association which brings together numerous players in securing the transport of so-called “sensitive” goods and merchandise.
