Three fleets – three paths to electrification

An electric tractor unit rolls out of the yard in Milan. Its route takes it via Brescia and Bergamo back to its starting point – around 300 kilometres, mostly on motorways. This adds up to around 90,000 kilometres a year. And it's not a pilot project, but real everyday operation, with customers, deadlines – and a margin that has to add up.

The truck belongs to Foppiani Transport, a third-generation family business. Operating out of Milan and Florence, the company, founded in the 1960s, runs a fully MAN-based fleet in national scheduled and specialised transport. So far, one tractor unit and one chassis are running electrically, with a further MAN eTGX already on order. Charging takes place exclusively at the company's own depot in Milan, recently supported by a photovoltaic system with a peak output of around 350 kW. One thing stands out in particular: on a purely calculated basis, diesel is still around two per cent ahead on this route today. Foppiani drives electric anyway – and has good reasons for doing so.

Why the market is tipping

MAN Truck & Bus's "Beyond Diesel" strategy report provides the answer to this apparent contradiction. It presents three European fleets that have progressed to different stages in their switch to eTrucks. In total, more than 15,000 electric trucks are now on Europe's roads, with an initial wave of around 5,000 customers driving the market forward. At the same time, policy is tightening the framework: EU requirements for heavy-duty vehicles call for 43 per cent less CO₂ by 2030 and 90 per cent less by 2040. According to well-regarded studies, the share of battery-electric new registrations is expected to rise to between 15 and 35 per cent from 2030 onwards. By 2035, 30 to 60 per cent of all newly registered trucks are likely to be battery-electric. 

On top of this, more and more shippers are already writing emission-free transport into their tenders. This marks a fundamental shift – electrification is moving from being a differentiating factor to a basic requirement for market access: those who cannot drive electric don't just lose prestige, they lose contracts.

The interplay of truck, depot and energy is what counts

As different as the three companies are, their advantage doesn't come from the individual vehicle, but from the interplay between truck, depot and energy. The greatest leverage lies in the company's own yard: by 2030, up to 90 per cent of all charging points are expected to be depot-based, and based on MAN's project experience, energy costs fall with every stage of expansion.

For fleet operators, the question is therefore less about whether to electrify. What matters is where they currently stand and what the next sensible step is. This is exactly what "Beyond Diesel" sets out to describe, mapping stages of maturity from the first vehicle right through to a fully electrified depot. "The examples show that electric trucks are already economically viable today. However, only companies that electrify the whole system – vehicle, depot and energy together – secure the decisive competitive edge," says Roland Schurig, Vice President UnitZERO & Zero Emission Projects at MAN Truck & Bus. "As MAN, we act as a partner to both our new and existing customers, giving them clarity on where they stand in their transformation and how they can continue to develop."

PDF download: the full "Beyond Diesel" strategy report, along with the condensed management summary, available to read.

The electrification stages of "Beyond Diesel"

In its strategy report, MAN divides fleets into four archetypes, based on the proportion of battery-electric vehicles and the level of depot development. The three companies featured in this story represent the three stages that already include eTrucks in their fleet.

• BEV Evaluator:
  No eTrucks in the fleet yet. The company is assessing which routes are suitable, what the switch would cost, and where the most sensible starting point lies.
• BEV Starter (1 to 10 per cent BEV share):
  First vehicles on selected routes, basic charging infrastructure, with photovoltaics and storage not yet integrated. Example: Foppiani Transport.
• BEV Scaler (11 to 50 per cent):
  Fleet and depot grow together. Intelligent charging, solar power and battery storage are added, and cost and CO₂ advantages become measurable. Example: Bad Lausick concrete plant.
• BEV System Operator (51 to 100 per cent):
  A highly electrified fleet at a fully integrated depot – extending as far as marketing the company's own charging points and participating in the energy market. Example: Schlager Transport Logistik.