Environmental and Economic Assessment of Powertrain Electrification and Low-Carbon Fuel for Heavy-Duty Trucks

With the increasingly ambitious decarbonization commitment and the continuous growth of freight demand, it is urgent to solve the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to the heavy-duty truck (HDT) sector. This study aims to identify the optimal decarbonization pathway for heavy-duty freight by assessing the environmental and economic performance of Battery-electric and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) HDTs. Environmental impacts are evaluated using the life cycle assessment (LCA) method, while economic performance is assessed through the total cost of ownership (TCO) framework. In terms of GHG emissions, Battery-electric HDTs demonstrate a 18% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared to HVO HDTs over their full life cycle. Regarding financial performance, HVO HDTs exhibit a slight advantage over Battery-electric HDTs, with a €0.02 lower cost per HDT per kilometer. When jointly considering environmental and economic dimensions, the lower carbon abatement cost of HVO HDT shows that it is a more cost-effective way to reduce emissions under the current technical and market conditions. By focusing on the decarbonization pathways of the HDT sector, this study addresses key research gaps in existing literature, including the limited attention to this crucial segment, incomplete life cycle coverage, and the lack of integrated environmental-economic analysis. The results provide insights for fleet operators, original equipment manufacturers, and policymakers about the potential advantages and limitations of different decarbonization technologies for HDTs and thus guide the strategy of building a sustainable road transportation system in the future.