More than 1,000 transport operators across 36 countries participated in the IRU and Trimble Green Compact survey. In Western Europe, 66% cite vehicle purchase prices as a barrier, up from 49% in the previous year’s survey.
Seven in ten Western European operators say customers are unwilling to pay the additional cost of decarbonisation. At the same time, 90% already take at least one measure to reduce emissions. Route optimisation and more efficient driving are popular because they can also deliver operational savings.
Infrastructure remains a constraint as well. IRU counts 1,225 public truck-capable charging locations in Europe, compared with an estimated need for 50,000 high-power charging points. According to the industry organisation, securing sufficient grid capacity for a depot typically takes one to two years.
The figures come from an industry survey and describe operators’ expectations and experiences, not a controlled cost calculation for every route. For shippers, they mainly show that vehicle choice, charging infrastructure, contract duration and cost allocation need to be discussed together.