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Long-haul trucking is considered one of the hardest activities to decarbonise. Industry experts differ on whether the solution is hydrogen trucks – which are less efficient but have greater range – or battery electric trucks, which will be cheaper to run but need more stops to recharge.
It’s a technical issue, but a hotly argued one, even provoking a spat between Bill Gates and Elon Musk on X.
So far Europe is betting on both horses. The EU’s Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation, agreed in March 2023, mandates the parallel development of pan-European hydrogen and electric charging networks, to accommodate both types of trucks.
But recent comments by TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné may just give pause for thought.
TotalEnergies has been one of Europe’s most bullish and vocal supporters of hydrogen trucks. Together with Air Liquide, they established a joint venture with the objective of establishing 100 hydrogen refuelling stations by the end of the decade.
But speaking about TotalEnergie’s plans at a French Senate hearing on 29 April, Pouyanné admitted that “I’m not sure we were completely right” and acknowledged that batteries would probably win out for long-haul trucking.
His arguments will be familiar to hydrogen sceptics.
While noting the important progress battery technology has made, he pointed to fact that the fact that 80% of trucks travel less than 500km a day in Europe, and that drivers are obliged to rest every two hours. Battery-powered trucks can cover 500km, and driver stops allow time for recharging.
Pouyanné’s intervention would seem like a major validation for supporters of battery trucks. But the argument will doubtlessly rumble on. There will always be trucking routes which cannot be served by battery-powered vehicles. Less densely-populated regions like the US may require the range that only hydrogen can provide.
However, the Commission’s initial impact assessment estimates that hydogen fuelling stations for trucks in Europe will require €28 billion of public and private money between 2021 and 2050. That seems like a lot of money, for a very limited use-case.
By the end of the year, the Commission must compile a technology and market-readiness analysis dedicated to heavy-duty vehicles. The report is meant to consider whether hydrogen stations should have higher capacities, and whether specific targets are needed for liquid hydrogen fuelling.
TotalEnergie’s change of heart suggests that a deeper reflection may well be warranted.
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[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic]
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