Shutterstock

Transport is likely the hardest economic sector to decarbonise. And road vehicles produce the most greenhouse gas emissions of the Australian transport sector – 85% of its total. Freight trucks account for only 8% of travel on our roads but 27% of transport emissions.

We analysed the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of Australian passenger cars and SUVs in a 2022 study. We have now looked at Australian trucks.

The 2022 study showed Australian electric cars already provided large cuts in emissions in 2019. The reduction was 30-40% compared to the overall on-road passenger vehicle fleet’s (life-cycle) emissions per kilometre in 2018. When renewables take over the electricity grid from which battery electric vehicles are charged, the cuts will be even bigger – around 75-80%.

Is it the same for Australian trucks? Our new study shows battery electric trucks are the best road transport option for getting closer to net-zero emissions. As the shift to renewables continues and batteries become more durable, these trucks are expected to deliver the largest and most certain emission cuts of 75-85% over their entire life cycle.

Hydrogen-powered (fuel cell) trucks also provide large emission cuts, but not as much as battery electric trucks. Their future performance is the most uncertain at this stage.

We can expect to see increasing numbers of electric trucks on our roads. Dllu/Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA​

What did the study look at?​

We looked at the fleet-averaged life-cycle emissions of three Australian truck sizes and three technologies – diesel, hydrogen and electric – for the pre-COVID year 2019 and a future decarbonised scenario. This scenario is based on 90% renewables in the electricity grid and 90% green hydrogen (produced using renewable energy).

To fairly assess emissions performance, we must look at the whole life cycle of both the vehicle and its energy or fuel process. Life-cycle assessment considers all aspects of a vehicle’s life – manufacturing, on-road driving, maintenance and disposal – and energy or fuel production and distribution. In future work we would like to include the life-cycle emission impacts of infrastructure such as roads.

Years of service by battery electric trucks give us more data, increasing certainty about their life-cycle emissions. Syced/Wikimedia Commons​

We also added something that is less commonly done in life-cycle assessments: a probabilistic analysis. Instead of estimating single emission values, we quantified a plausible range of emissions. These distributions provide helpful extra information.

For instance, if a distribution is wide (spanning a wide range of emission values), there is a lot of uncertainty and variability in the emissions performance. This would make the technology less robust from a climate change perspective.

A narrow distribution means there is less variability. We can be more certain the technology will perform as expected, with less risk of over-promising and under-performing.

Assessments must also reflect Australian conditions. For instance, we analysed truck odometer data and found Australian long-haul trucks drive much farther over their lifetime than European trucks.

Vehicle mileage directly affects lifecycle emissions but it also affects the number of times a battery or hydrogen fuel cell system may need to be replaced. Each replacement can significantly increase life-cycle emissions.

While the uptake of electric trucks has trailed other forms of road transport, their high mileage means any emission cuts add up. International Energy Agency/Wikimedia Commons , CC BY​

What did the study find?​

In 2019, life-cycle emissions for electric trucks (both battery electric and hydrogen fuel cells) were higher than for diesel trucks. There were a few reasons for this.

First, the electricity grid and hydrogen production depended heavily on fossil fuel power sources at the time. High-carbon energy sources increased emissions from electric vehicles. But this is changing fast.

Another important issue is uncertainty about the durability of battery and (hydrogen) fuel cell systems in heavy use, such as for long-haul articulated trucks. The largest Australian trucks travel about 2 million kilometres on average in their lifetime. Those sorts of distances test the durability of these systems.

We currently expect battery systems to last between 400,000km and 600,000km. The average lifetime mileage of long-haul freight trucks in particular means batteries will need to be replaced.

Other options on the table could at least partly reduce this problem. We could use ageing trucks differently, such as for shorter trips. Trucks could also use shared and externally charged batteries (battery swapping).

Battery and fuel cell systems are expected to become a lot more durable in coming decades. Alongside a strong decarbonisation of Australia’s electricity generation and hydrogen production, this completely changes the picture. This can be seen when we look at the estimated plausible range in life-cycle emissions for different truck sizes and powertrain technologies in the future decarbonised scenario.

Plausible range in life-cycle emissions from Australian trucks separated by size and technology in the decarbonised scenario.​

What does this mean for policy?​

Our modelling shows battery electric trucks will provide deep emission cuts of 75-85%, on average, across the fleet in the future decarbonised scenario. Hydrogen (fuel cell) trucks will provide large cuts of 50-70%, on average.

Hydrogen trucks are expected to emit about twice the amount of life-cycle emissions per kilometre compared to battery electric trucks. The latter’s extra reduction in emissions will be vital for getting road transport closer to the net-zero target in 2050.

The life-cycle emissions of the hydrogen trucks also have the largest uncertainty of all the powertrains we assessed. This reflects a general lack of data and information for this technology.

This uncertainty is important for policymakers to consider. Hydrogen (fuel cell) trucks carry a higher risk of not achieving anticipated emission cuts.

Using the available evidence, our study suggests policies to cut Australian trucking emissions should focus on promoting battery electric trucks wherever possible.

Of course, other policy measures will be needed to achieve net zero. The options include shifting freight from road to lower-emission electric rail or ships. We could also reduce overall freight travel by, for instance, optimising logistics.

This article was first published on The Conversation, and was written by , Robin Smit, Adjunct Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney

 

[Shane O'Neill]

Shutterstock

Transport is likely the hardest economic sector to decarbonise. And road vehicles produce the most greenhouse gas emissions of the Australian transport sector – 85% of its total. Freight trucks account for only 8% of travel on our roads but 27% of transport emissions.

We analysed the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of Australian passenger cars and SUVs in a 2022 study. We have now looked at Australian trucks.

The 2022 study showed Australian electric cars already provided large cuts in emissions in 2019. The reduction was 30-40% compared to the overall on-road passenger vehicle fleet’s (life-cycle) emissions per kilometre in 2018. When renewables take over the electricity grid from which battery electric vehicles are charged, the cuts will be even bigger – around 75-80%.

Is it the same for Australian trucks? Our new study shows battery electric trucks are the best road transport option for getting closer to net-zero emissions. As the shift to renewables continues and batteries become more durable, these trucks are expected to deliver the largest and most certain emission cuts of 75-85% over their entire life cycle.

Hydrogen-powered (fuel cell) trucks also provide large emission cuts, but not as much as battery electric trucks. Their future performance is the most uncertain at this stage.

We can expect to see increasing numbers of electric trucks on our roads. Dllu/Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA

What did the study look at?​

We looked at the fleet-averaged life-cycle emissions of three Australian truck sizes and three technologies – diesel, hydrogen and electric – for the pre-COVID year 2019 and a future decarbonised scenario. This scenario is based on 90% renewables in the electricity grid and 90% green hydrogen (produced using renewable energy).

To fairly assess emissions performance, we must look at the whole life cycle of both the vehicle and its energy or fuel process. Life-cycle assessment considers all aspects of a vehicle’s life – manufacturing, on-road driving, maintenance and disposal – and energy or fuel production and distribution. In future work we would like to include the life-cycle emission impacts of infrastructure such as roads.

Years of service by battery electric trucks give us more data, increasing certainty about their life-cycle emissions. Syced/Wikimedia Commons

We also added something that is less commonly done in life-cycle assessments: a probabilistic analysis. Instead of estimating single emission values, we quantified a plausible range of emissions. These distributions provide helpful extra information.

For instance, if a distribution is wide (spanning a wide range of emission values), there is a lot of uncertainty and variability in the emissions performance. This would make the technology less robust from a climate change perspective.

A narrow distribution means there is less variability. We can be more certain the technology will perform as expected, with less risk of over-promising and under-performing.

Assessments must also reflect Australian conditions. For instance, we analysed truck odometer data and found Australian long-haul trucks drive much farther over their lifetime than European trucks.

Vehicle mileage directly affects lifecycle emissions but it also affects the number of times a battery or hydrogen fuel cell system may need to be replaced. Each replacement can significantly increase life-cycle emissions.

While the uptake of electric trucks has trailed other forms of road transport, their high mileage means any emission cuts add up. International Energy Agency/Wikimedia Commons , CC BY

What did the study find?​

In 2019, life-cycle emissions for electric trucks (both battery electric and hydrogen fuel cells) were higher than for diesel trucks. There were a few reasons for this.

First, the electricity grid and hydrogen production depended heavily on fossil fuel power sources at the time. High-carbon energy sources increased emissions from electric vehicles. But this is changing fast.

Another important issue is uncertainty about the durability of battery and (hydrogen) fuel cell systems in heavy use, such as for long-haul articulated trucks. The largest Australian trucks travel about 2 million kilometres on average in their lifetime. Those sorts of distances test the durability of these systems.

We currently expect battery systems to last between 400,000km and 600,000km. The average lifetime mileage of long-haul freight trucks in particular means batteries will need to be replaced.

Other options on the table could at least partly reduce this problem. We could use ageing trucks differently, such as for shorter trips. Trucks could also use shared and externally charged batteries (battery swapping).

Battery and fuel cell systems are expected to become a lot more durable in coming decades. Alongside a strong decarbonisation of Australia’s electricity generation and hydrogen production, this completely changes the picture. This can be seen when we look at the estimated plausible range in life-cycle emissions for different truck sizes and powertrain technologies in the future decarbonised scenario.

Plausible range in life-cycle emissions from Australian trucks separated by size and technology in the decarbonised scenario.

What does this mean for policy?​

Our modelling shows battery electric trucks will provide deep emission cuts of 75-85%, on average, across the fleet in the future decarbonised scenario. Hydrogen (fuel cell) trucks will provide large cuts of 50-70%, on average.

Hydrogen trucks are expected to emit about twice the amount of life-cycle emissions per kilometre compared to battery electric trucks. The latter’s extra reduction in emissions will be vital for getting road transport closer to the net-zero target in 2050.

The life-cycle emissions of the hydrogen trucks also have the largest uncertainty of all the powertrains we assessed. This reflects a general lack of data and information for this technology.

This uncertainty is important for policymakers to consider. Hydrogen (fuel cell) trucks carry a higher risk of not achieving anticipated emission cuts.

Using the available evidence, our study suggests policies to cut Australian trucking emissions should focus on promoting battery electric trucks wherever possible.

Of course, other policy measures will be needed to achieve net zero. The options include shifting freight from road to lower-emission electric rail or ships. We could also reduce overall freight travel by, for instance, optimising logistics.

This article was first published on The Conversation, and was written by , Robin Smit, Adjunct Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney

All this electric powered vehicles why are they not made with generators attached to wheel's that charge the batteries as it in in motion and a top up charge if required hmmmm or am I on the wrong track here hmmmm interesting

 

[Docit]

All this electric powered vehicles why are they not made with generators attached to wheel's that charge the batteries as it in in motion and a top up charge if required hmmmm or am I on the wrong track here hmmmm interesting

What you are describing is a perpetual motion machine.... can't be done unfortunately.

 

[Graham12]

Net Zero is a myth. The CO2 emissions from fossil fuels feed plants through photosynthesis. NASA reports current strong global foliage growth. As we get closer to net zero, we get closer to famine and poor agricultural productivity. There is ample research and data to explain this. Start with Professor Ian Plimer and others.

 

[Lizzie1149]

Shutterstock

Transport is likely the hardest economic sector to decarbonise. And road vehicles produce the most greenhouse gas emissions of the Australian transport sector – 85% of its total. Freight trucks account for only 8% of travel on our roads but 27% of transport emissions.

We analysed the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of Australian passenger cars and SUVs in a 2022 study. We have now looked at Australian trucks.

The 2022 study showed Australian electric cars already provided large cuts in emissions in 2019. The reduction was 30-40% compared to the overall on-road passenger vehicle fleet’s (life-cycle) emissions per kilometre in 2018. When renewables take over the electricity grid from which battery electric vehicles are charged, the cuts will be even bigger – around 75-80%.

Is it the same for Australian trucks? Our new study shows battery electric trucks are the best road transport option for getting closer to net-zero emissions. As the shift to renewables continues and batteries become more durable, these trucks are expected to deliver the largest and most certain emission cuts of 75-85% over their entire life cycle.

Hydrogen-powered (fuel cell) trucks also provide large emission cuts, but not as much as battery electric trucks. Their future performance is the most uncertain at this stage.

We can expect to see increasing numbers of electric trucks on our roads. Dllu/Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA

What did the study look at?​

We looked at the fleet-averaged life-cycle emissions of three Australian truck sizes and three technologies – diesel, hydrogen and electric – for the pre-COVID year 2019 and a future decarbonised scenario. This scenario is based on 90% renewables in the electricity grid and 90% green hydrogen (produced using renewable energy).

To fairly assess emissions performance, we must look at the whole life cycle of both the vehicle and its energy or fuel process. Life-cycle assessment considers all aspects of a vehicle’s life – manufacturing, on-road driving, maintenance and disposal – and energy or fuel production and distribution. In future work we would like to include the life-cycle emission impacts of infrastructure such as roads.

Years of service by battery electric trucks give us more data, increasing certainty about their life-cycle emissions. Syced/Wikimedia Commons

We also added something that is less commonly done in life-cycle assessments: a probabilistic analysis. Instead of estimating single emission values, we quantified a plausible range of emissions. These distributions provide helpful extra information.

For instance, if a distribution is wide (spanning a wide range of emission values), there is a lot of uncertainty and variability in the emissions performance. This would make the technology less robust from a climate change perspective.

A narrow distribution means there is less variability. We can be more certain the technology will perform as expected, with less risk of over-promising and under-performing.

Assessments must also reflect Australian conditions. For instance, we analysed truck odometer data and found Australian long-haul trucks drive much farther over their lifetime than European trucks.

Vehicle mileage directly affects lifecycle emissions but it also affects the number of times a battery or hydrogen fuel cell system may need to be replaced. Each replacement can significantly increase life-cycle emissions.

While the uptake of electric trucks has trailed other forms of road transport, their high mileage means any emission cuts add up. International Energy Agency/Wikimedia Commons , CC BY

What did the study find?​

In 2019, life-cycle emissions for electric trucks (both battery electric and hydrogen fuel cells) were higher than for diesel trucks. There were a few reasons for this.

First, the electricity grid and hydrogen production depended heavily on fossil fuel power sources at the time. High-carbon energy sources increased emissions from electric vehicles. But this is changing fast.

Another important issue is uncertainty about the durability of battery and (hydrogen) fuel cell systems in heavy use, such as for long-haul articulated trucks. The largest Australian trucks travel about 2 million kilometres on average in their lifetime. Those sorts of distances test the durability of these systems.

We currently expect battery systems to last between 400,000km and 600,000km. The average lifetime mileage of long-haul freight trucks in particular means batteries will need to be replaced.

Other options on the table could at least partly reduce this problem. We could use ageing trucks differently, such as for shorter trips. Trucks could also use shared and externally charged batteries (battery swapping).

Battery and fuel cell systems are expected to become a lot more durable in coming decades. Alongside a strong decarbonisation of Australia’s electricity generation and hydrogen production, this completely changes the picture. This can be seen when we look at the estimated plausible range in life-cycle emissions for different truck sizes and powertrain technologies in the future decarbonised scenario.

Plausible range in life-cycle emissions from Australian trucks separated by size and technology in the decarbonised scenario.

What does this mean for policy?​

Our modelling shows battery electric trucks will provide deep emission cuts of 75-85%, on average, across the fleet in the future decarbonised scenario. Hydrogen (fuel cell) trucks will provide large cuts of 50-70%, on average.

Hydrogen trucks are expected to emit about twice the amount of life-cycle emissions per kilometre compared to battery electric trucks. The latter’s extra reduction in emissions will be vital for getting road transport closer to the net-zero target in 2050.

The life-cycle emissions of the hydrogen trucks also have the largest uncertainty of all the powertrains we assessed. This reflects a general lack of data and information for this technology.

This uncertainty is important for policymakers to consider. Hydrogen (fuel cell) trucks carry a higher risk of not achieving anticipated emission cuts.

Using the available evidence, our study suggests policies to cut Australian trucking emissions should focus on promoting battery electric trucks wherever possible.

Of course, other policy measures will be needed to achieve net zero. The options include shifting freight from road to lower-emission electric rail or ships. We could also reduce overall freight travel by, for instance, optimising logistics.

This article was first published on The Conversation, and was written by , Robin Smit, Adjunct Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney

I'm guessing the people promoting this garbage have not seen the news items about what is currently happening in the northern hemisphere. The northern hemisphere in particular US and Canada are currently in crisis due to extreme cold. Cars and truck that run on batteries are not working. They stall, if you run the heater. They don't get much milage out of them anyway but in the cold they go nowhere. Try this with a truck. Also electric vehicle cannot pull or carry the same loads as petrol/diesel vehicles and can't do the same milage. This is eve before we get to the exploding batteries. And don't get me started on wind turbines. They stop working in extreme cold so they don't become brittle and fracture. Of course the one thing no one talks about is our out put is one of the lowest in the world. And cutting Co2 is madness as it's what the plants live on and grow with. No or very little Co2 so no food since they are hell bent on stopping animal food sources. Don't even get me started about that one

 

[Docit]

Net Zero is a myth. The CO2 emissions from fossil fuels feed plants through photosynthesis. NASA reports current strong global foliage growth. As we get closer to net zero, we get closer to famine and poor agricultural productivity. There is ample research and data to explain this. Start with Professor Ian Plimer and others.

Net Zero is very much not a myth. Some plants may benefit from the increased CO2, but many others do not. I guess you are just spouting the Murdoch press or one of the other misinformation sources like channel 7, 9 or 10. How about listening to the thousands of climate scientists out there? You may not like what they have to say, but life is like that.... get over it and stop spreading rubbish.

 

[Lizzie1149]

Net Zero is very much not a myth. Some plants may benefit from the increased CO2, but many others do not. I guess you are just spouting the Murdoch press or one of the other misinformation sources like channel 7, 9 or 10. How about listening to the thousands of climate scientists out there? You may not like what they have to say, but life is like that.... get over it and stop spreading rubbish.

Somehow I think you have gotten your info upside down. The Murdock press, the tv channels and the media in general have all been sprouting how good net zero is. Well I believe it's rubbish. It is a myth. We are sliding into a mini ice age. Sea levels have not changed much over the last few hundred years. Cattle and humans are not responsible for Co2 emissions that supposedly damage the planet. If they insist on continuing with this crap we won't have any plants growing to eat. Plants need Co2, for photosynthesis, green ones more so. We won't die from an increase in Co2 but we might die if they lower it

 

[Graham12]

Net Zero is very much not a myth. Some plants may benefit from the increased CO2, but many others do not. I guess you are just spouting the Murdoch press or one of the other misinformation sources like channel 7, 9 or 10. How about listening to the thousands of climate scientists out there? You may not like what they have to say, but life is like that.... get over it and stop spreading rubbish.

What plants do not need CO2 for photosynthesis? Even seaweeds thrive on CO2 and live near the top of the oceans. Just read Plimer for a start.

 

[Veggiepatch]

All this electric powered vehicles why are they not made with generators attached to wheel's that charge the batteries as it in in motion and a top up charge if required hmmmm or am I on the wrong track here hmmmm interesting

That is a no brainer when EVs first came out.

 

[Veggiepatch]

I'm guessing the people promoting this garbage have not seen the news items about what is currently happening in the northern hemisphere. The northern hemisphere in particular US and Canada are currently in crisis due to extreme cold. Cars and truck that run on batteries are not working. They stall, if you run the heater. They don't get much milage out of them anyway but in the cold they go nowhere. Try this with a truck. Also electric vehicle cannot pull or carry the same loads as petrol/diesel vehicles and can't do the same milage. This is eve before we get to the exploding batteries. And don't get me started on wind turbines. They stop working in extreme cold so they don't become brittle and fracture. Of course the one thing no one talks about is our out put is one of the lowest in the world. And cutting Co2 is madness as it's what the plants live on and grow with. No or very little Co2 so no food since they are hell bent on stopping animal food sources. Don't even get me started about that one

A person who reads between the hype! I would marry you @Lizzie1149 but I'm taken.

Little do the pro EV mob understand is the chemistry of how EV batteries work into relation to temperature. The lower the temperature, the lower the range of the vehicle. Conversely, in hot weather, vehicle air conditioning comes into play. Drains the battery to power the compressor so the occupants have their "comfort".

I won't even start on the cost of the extraction of minerals for battery raw materials versus that of the extraction of oil.

 

[Docit]

What plants do not need CO2 for photosynthesis? Even seaweeds thrive on CO2 and live near the top of the oceans. Just read Plimer for a start.

Your argument is far too simplistic. Have a look at:

https://www.pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.1606734113

The reality is far more complicated than the oversimplification of ‘CO2 is plant food.’ Increasing temperatures resulting from the increase in CO2 is bad for plant life.

 

[Tipsy]

Shutterstock

Transport is likely the hardest economic sector to decarbonise. And road vehicles produce the most greenhouse gas emissions of the Australian transport sector – 85% of its total. Freight trucks account for only 8% of travel on our roads but 27% of transport emissions.

We analysed the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of Australian passenger cars and SUVs in a 2022 study. We have now looked at Australian trucks.

The 2022 study showed Australian electric cars already provided large cuts in emissions in 2019. The reduction was 30-40% compared to the overall on-road passenger vehicle fleet’s (life-cycle) emissions per kilometre in 2018. When renewables take over the electricity grid from which battery electric vehicles are charged, the cuts will be even bigger – around 75-80%.

Is it the same for Australian trucks? Our new study shows battery electric trucks are the best road transport option for getting closer to net-zero emissions. As the shift to renewables continues and batteries become more durable, these trucks are expected to deliver the largest and most certain emission cuts of 75-85% over their entire life cycle.

Hydrogen-powered (fuel cell) trucks also provide large emission cuts, but not as much as battery electric trucks. Their future performance is the most uncertain at this stage.

We can expect to see increasing numbers of electric trucks on our roads. Dllu/Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA

What did the study look at?​

We looked at the fleet-averaged life-cycle emissions of three Australian truck sizes and three technologies – diesel, hydrogen and electric – for the pre-COVID year 2019 and a future decarbonised scenario. This scenario is based on 90% renewables in the electricity grid and 90% green hydrogen (produced using renewable energy).

To fairly assess emissions performance, we must look at the whole life cycle of both the vehicle and its energy or fuel process. Life-cycle assessment considers all aspects of a vehicle’s life – manufacturing, on-road driving, maintenance and disposal – and energy or fuel production and distribution. In future work we would like to include the life-cycle emission impacts of infrastructure such as roads.

Years of service by battery electric trucks give us more data, increasing certainty about their life-cycle emissions. Syced/Wikimedia Commons

We also added something that is less commonly done in life-cycle assessments: a probabilistic analysis. Instead of estimating single emission values, we quantified a plausible range of emissions. These distributions provide helpful extra information.

For instance, if a distribution is wide (spanning a wide range of emission values), there is a lot of uncertainty and variability in the emissions performance. This would make the technology less robust from a climate change perspective.

A narrow distribution means there is less variability. We can be more certain the technology will perform as expected, with less risk of over-promising and under-performing.

Assessments must also reflect Australian conditions. For instance, we analysed truck odometer data and found Australian long-haul trucks drive much farther over their lifetime than European trucks.

Vehicle mileage directly affects lifecycle emissions but it also affects the number of times a battery or hydrogen fuel cell system may need to be replaced. Each replacement can significantly increase life-cycle emissions.

While the uptake of electric trucks has trailed other forms of road transport, their high mileage means any emission cuts add up. International Energy Agency/Wikimedia Commons , CC BY

What did the study find?​

In 2019, life-cycle emissions for electric trucks (both battery electric and hydrogen fuel cells) were higher than for diesel trucks. There were a few reasons for this.

First, the electricity grid and hydrogen production depended heavily on fossil fuel power sources at the time. High-carbon energy sources increased emissions from electric vehicles. But this is changing fast.

Another important issue is uncertainty about the durability of battery and (hydrogen) fuel cell systems in heavy use, such as for long-haul articulated trucks. The largest Australian trucks travel about 2 million kilometres on average in their lifetime. Those sorts of distances test the durability of these systems.

We currently expect battery systems to last between 400,000km and 600,000km. The average lifetime mileage of long-haul freight trucks in particular means batteries will need to be replaced.

Other options on the table could at least partly reduce this problem. We could use ageing trucks differently, such as for shorter trips. Trucks could also use shared and externally charged batteries (battery swapping).

Battery and fuel cell systems are expected to become a lot more durable in coming decades. Alongside a strong decarbonisation of Australia’s electricity generation and hydrogen production, this completely changes the picture. This can be seen when we look at the estimated plausible range in life-cycle emissions for different truck sizes and powertrain technologies in the future decarbonised scenario.

Plausible range in life-cycle emissions from Australian trucks separated by size and technology in the decarbonised scenario.

What does this mean for policy?​

Our modelling shows battery electric trucks will provide deep emission cuts of 75-85%, on average, across the fleet in the future decarbonised scenario. Hydrogen (fuel cell) trucks will provide large cuts of 50-70%, on average.

Hydrogen trucks are expected to emit about twice the amount of life-cycle emissions per kilometre compared to battery electric trucks. The latter’s extra reduction in emissions will be vital for getting road transport closer to the net-zero target in 2050.

The life-cycle emissions of the hydrogen trucks also have the largest uncertainty of all the powertrains we assessed. This reflects a general lack of data and information for this technology.

This uncertainty is important for policymakers to consider. Hydrogen (fuel cell) trucks carry a higher risk of not achieving anticipated emission cuts.

Using the available evidence, our study suggests policies to cut Australian trucking emissions should focus on promoting battery electric trucks wherever possible.

Of course, other policy measures will be needed to achieve net zero. The options include shifting freight from road to lower-emission electric rail or ships. We could also reduce overall freight travel by, for instance, optimising logistics.

This article was first published on The Conversation, and was written by , Robin Smit, Adjunct Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney

When are all you bloody idiot morons going to understand that ZERO carbon in our atmosphere will not happen... we will all be dead long before that... Everything on this planet will start dying when the carbon reaches .003% and at this moment in time we are @ .004... WE are all CARBON BASED Entities and require carbon to SURVIVE.... So when are you all going to wake up and start fighting back

 

[Mrtnst]

The 'Life Cycle' calculations referred to in this article are not true life cycle measures.

They only consider the operational life of the vehicles.

A proper life cycle calculation requires assessing the emissions over the production, operation, maintenance and disposal phases.


EV production produces huge amounts of carbon emissions, much greater than the amount of emissions 'saved' during operation. Further, battery replacement costs are huge, and involve furthe production emissions that are not counted in the 'operational life cycles referred to above.

Finally disposal of EV's, and their old batteries, is hugely problematic. They are stuffed with toxic materials and carbon products, all of which cannot be recycled.

Which is also true of solar panels and wind turbines.

 

[Docit]

When are all you bloody idiot morons going to understand that ZERO carbon in our atmosphere will not happen... we will all be dead long before that... Everything on this planet will start dying when the carbon reaches .003% and at this moment in time we are @ .004... WE are all CARBON BASED Entities and require carbon to SURVIVE.... So when are you all going to wake up and start fighting back

Where did you get your PhD?? I thought not. Try talking to real experts, not listening to the idiots put forward as such by the main media.

I'm a retired computer science professor and at least able to understand and critique the real evidence. There are thousands upon thousands of extremely well educated and intelligent climate scientists around the world that have researched climate change from many different perspectives. The evidence in unequivocal, climate change is real and is rapidly becoming a major threat to the whole world.

Use your own eyes. Look around you. The climate is changing in the way that the experts have been telling us. What do you think a large proportion of Ozzies who have been impacted by extreme weather events in recent years think? If we don't respond, then we, our children and all subsequent generations are doomed.

 

[Docit]

The 'Life Cycle' calculations referred to in this article are not true life cycle measures.

They only consider the operational life of the vehicles.

A proper life cycle calculation requires assessing the emissions over the production, operation, maintenance and disposal phases.


EV production produces huge amounts of carbon emissions, much greater than the amount of emissions 'saved' during operation. Further, battery replacement costs are huge, and involve furthe production emissions that are not counted in the 'operational life cycles referred to above.

Finally disposal of EV's, and their old batteries, is hugely problematic. They are stuffed with toxic materials and carbon products, all of which cannot be recycled.

Which is also true of solar panels and wind turbines.

I don’t think there is a single statement that you make in your whole response that is even close to true. Maybe you’ve spent too long being brainwashed by Sky news, Murdoch or other misinformation source.

 

[Rob44]

Net Zero is a myth. The CO2 emissions from fossil fuels feed plants through photosynthesis. NASA reports current strong global foliage growth. As we get closer to net zero, we get closer to famine and poor agricultural productivity. There is ample research and data to explain this. Start with Professor Ian Plimer and others.

Oh dear; there is ample research and data that shows that Prof Plimer really does not know what he is talking about when it comes to Anthropogenic Global Heating. However, AGH is causing the sea-level to rise and I would advise you to remove your head from the waterfront sand-dunes in which it is buried ostrich fashion.

As for heavy transport; it is time Australia got sensible and built an integrated network of railways to take heavy freight AND passengers by fast trains.

 

[Rob44]

The 'Life Cycle' calculations referred to in this article are not true life cycle measures.

They only consider the operational life of the vehicles.

A proper life cycle calculation requires assessing the emissions over the production, operation, maintenance and disposal phases.


EV production produces huge amounts of carbon emissions, much greater than the amount of emissions 'saved' during operation. Further, battery replacement costs are huge, and involve furthe production emissions that are not counted in the 'operational life cycles referred to above.

Finally disposal of EV's, and their old batteries, is hugely problematic. They are stuffed with toxic materials and carbon products, all of which cannot be recycled.

Which is also true of solar panels and wind turbines.

Yes; one doesn't get something (physical comfort) for nothing. It is time we cut back on our profligate use and waste of energy, however it is generated. So perhaps we need to move forward to the type of comfort we endured in the 1950s or even earlier, although antibiotics and modern medical technological will still be useful enhancementsts to our comfort.

 

[Rob44]

Where did you get your PhD?? I thought not. Try talking to real experts, not listening to the idiots put forward as such by the main media.

I'm a retired computer science professor and at least able to understand and critique the real evidence. There are thousands upon thousands of extremely well educated and intelligent climate scientists around the world that have researched climate change from many different perspectives. The evidence in unequivocal, climate change is real and is rapidly becoming a major threat to the whole world.

Use your own eyes. Look around you. The climate is changing in the way that the experts have been telling us. What do you think a large proportion of Ozzies who have been impacted by extreme weather events in recent years think? If we don't respond, then we, our children and all subsequent generations are doomed.

Wrong; has become a major threat to the whole world............

 

[Rob44]

Somehow I think you have gotten your info upside down. The Murdock press, the tv channels and the media in general have all been sprouting how good net zero is. Well I believe it's rubbish. It is a myth. We are sliding into a mini ice age. Sea levels have not changed much over the last few hundred years. Cattle and humans are not responsible for Co2 emissions that supposedly damage the planet. If they insist on continuing with this crap we won't have any plants growing to eat. Plants need Co2, for photosynthesis, green ones more so. We won't die from an increase in Co2 but we might die if they lower it

CO2 and population growth have increased exponentially and in lock-step since about 1945. The Readers Digest of about 1958 had an article telling us about the forthcoming ice-age in about 50 000 years time, but since then our global population has grown rapidly as has our CO2 output. As for sea-level rise; what's a mere 2mm or 4mm a year and observable changes to the world's oceanic circulation as the ice-caps melt..............?

 

[Rob44]

All this electric powered vehicles why are they not made with generators attached to wheel's that charge the batteries as it in in motion and a top up charge if required hmmmm or am I on the wrong track here hmmmm interesting

Not a daft idea as long as the generators only cut in when the vehicle is braking as otherwise those generators would act against the vehicle's normal motion and waste energy.