For a transport operator, buying a truck is a business decision. The vehicle needs to do the job required of it, reliably and efficiently, but it must also make economic sense over the years and kilometres it will spend on the road.
For fleet operators, the key question is therefore not simply: “When will zero-emission trucks become cheaper to buy?” It is: “When does the overall business case become competitive?” This is why operators focus on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): the full cost of purchasing, owning and operating a truck throughout its use phase.
That distinction is particularly important as road freight transitions towards zero-emission vehicles. Battery-electric and hydrogen-powered trucks currently come with higher upfront costs than their conventional combustion engine equivalents. But purchase price alone does not determine whether an operator can make the switch. What ultimately matters is whether the vehicle can compete economically over the time it is in use, taking into account the full range of operating costs.
What goes into the Total Cost of Ownership? (....)