On May 9, at the Transport Logistics exhibition in Munich, CLECAT called for the introduction of high-capacity transport in Europe to support sustainable and efficient transport logistics. Pending the proposal for a revised Weights and Dimensions Directive, at a time of high energy prices, driver shortages and the urgent need to reduce CO2 emissions, the rationalization of logistics operations using high-capacity vehicles is more interesting than ever. However, challenges remain that hinder the use of high-capacity transport in Europe, as discussed by a group of industry, research and government representatives led by Nicolette van der Jagt, CEO of CLECAT.
Ben Kraayenhagen, Technical Coordinator, ZEFES (Flexible Zero-Emission Transportation Platforms with Modular Powertrains Serving the Long-Distance Freight Ecosystem). “As the demand for freight transport is expected to grow significantly (+49% between 2010 and 2040), combined with the need to drastically reduce the sector's GHG emissions to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, it is extremely important to improve the efficiency of transport and logistics. He noted that high-capacity transport using longer vehicle combinations is one of the leading solutions to achieve these goals. Mr. Kraaijenhagen presented the main objectives of the ZEFES project, which are to demonstrate the potential of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles operating in real-world logistics conditions across Europe by identifying and operating a number of real-world use cases, including intermodal transport and high-capacity transport. transport.
Bram Ewals, CEO of Ewals Cargo Care, shared his experience of piloting the Duo-trailer, a 32m road hauler (two Mega XLS trailers attached to a truck). “The double trailer is a great tool for multimodality and can help decarbonise road transport by putting fewer vehicles on the road. However, this combination of vehicles must be able to operate across borders to fully maximize its potential.”
Dirk-Jan de Bruyne, responsible for innovation and strategy at the Netherlands' Ministry of Infrastructure, said that the complexity of European and national regulations hindered the spread of such vehicles, and therefore called for more pilots and experiments. “Although the first trial of Duo-trailers in the Netherlands was carried out in January 2019, there is still a long way to go to allow their use due to complex regulations managed by different government bodies and institutions that do not cooperate enough. Now that several countries in Scandinavia and Spain have demonstrated the potential for widespread use of these vehicle combinations, other countries should follow suit, at least by allowing their use in very specific use cases, such as between logistics zones.”
Regarding the safety concerns of high-capacity vehicles, Lena Larsson, HCT project leader at Volvo Technology, explained that there is no clear evidence that longer vehicle combinations will worsen road safety: “Instead, the number of accidents is related to the number of vehicles on the road, and not up to their size. Therefore, high-capacity vehicles can help improve road safety by reducing the number of trucks on the road."
The panel also discussed the upcoming proposal to revise the Weights and Dimensions Directive, which will reignite the debate on allowing longer/heavier vehicles, as some stakeholders may believe that this will lead to a reverse shift from rail to road transport. Mr. Kraajenhagen emphasized that both modes of transport should not compete. Ms Larsson added: “When it comes to rail, nothing beats a well-operated long-distance railway. In my experience, direct freight trains between two positions with high punctuality beat trucks. But you still need to drive the truck very efficiently for the first mile and the last mile. Here, HCT combinations can help increase productivity to avoid canceling the benefits of rail transport, for example by using multiple trucks at the end of the journey.”
The discussion then turned to the driver dimension of HCV use, in light of the structural driver shortage the industry is facing. Mr. Evals noted that these vehicles will improve their working conditions: “Double trailers require the same qualifications as emergency vehicles. This concept will reduce the driver shortage through what we call meaningful work. We can use multimodal transport for longer distances when the Duo concept can be applied as a fixed ma route between two nodes. This provides a more streamlined operation and greater predictability for both drivers and customers.”
Finally, the speakers exchanged views on the decarbonization of road transport and the possibility of using zero-emission trucks also for large-capacity transport. Mr. Kraayenhagen reminded attendees that electric vehicles are still more expensive than conventional diesel trucks. However, the use of ZEVs in HCTs can reduce costs for operators by carrying more payload with the same tractor. There needs to be a wider discussion between all actors in the supply chain on issues related to charging/refueling infrastructure and the feasibility of using electric trailers. However, large-capacity transport already reduces emissions today. "Technically, any operator can get started with Duo trailers as they are fully compatible and the initial costs are low," emphasized Mr. Evals.
Ms van der Jagt summarized the key takeaways from the panel debate: all stakeholders are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and congestion, reducing driver shortages and improving road safety while absorbing the expected growth in freight demand. So, she concluded, "we now need more pilots to transport more with fewer vehicles combined with smart technology."