• The "Sustainability in Road Transport" conference, jointly organised by the three entities, gathered industry players to discuss the current obstacles to the use of electric and low-emission trucks.
  • The cost, insufficient charging infrastructure, and the challenge of incorporating charging times into daily logistics were highlighted as the primary hurdles to the adoption of electric trucks in road transport.
  • During the event, the Port of Barcelona presented its plan to deploy electric charging and hydrogen supply infrastructure to support carbon-free operations.

The high cost, lack of charging infrastructure, and the need to integrate charging times into daily logistics operations are the main barriers to the adoption of electric trucks in road transport. This was one of the key conclusions of the "Sustainability in Road Transport" conference, organised on Wednesday by the Port of Barcelona, the Catalonia Logistics Cluster, and the Catalan Energy Cluster.

The event, held at the Service Centre of the ZAL logistics hub in the Port of Barcelona, brought together representatives from the road transport and logistics sectors, industrial vehicle manufacturers, charging infrastructure providers, and vehicle financing experts to discuss the main obstacles slowing down the development and implementation of low-emission and electric trucks.

The conference was sponsored by SCANIA, FOTON España, and RENAULT TRUCKS Motor Tàrrega, with the collaboration of JAC Motors Iberia, Symph2ony by Messer & Toyota Tsucho, QUADIS Autolica Industrials, and ZUNDER.

Decarbonising road freight transport, which accounts for more than half of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, requires the adoption of battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, as well as low-emission fuels such as biofuels or synthetic alternatives. While the sales of light electric vehicles continue to grow, the electric truck segment still faces significant challenges, primarily due to high costs, insufficient charging infrastructure, and the need to integrate charging times into daily logistics operations.

The event began with presentations by Joaquim Salvat, President of the Catalonia Logistics Cluster; Francesc Ribera, Cluster Manager of the Catalan Energy Cluster; and Ingrid Boqué, Director of Institutional Relations at the Port of Barcelona. It also featured contributions from Jordi Vila, Head of Environmental Affairs at the Port of Barcelona, and Daniel Ruiz, Technical Lead for Sustainable Fuels at the Port of Barcelona.

The conference was structured into four panel discussions focusing on manufacturers, financing, charging infrastructure, and the experiences of operators that have already begun using low-emission trucks.

Speakers addressed key issues such as the additional cost of electric trucks, the rapid and widespread deployment of charging and hydrogen supply infrastructure, and the adaptation of fleet operations to accommodate the energy supply needs of these new technologies.

Representatives from the Port of Barcelona highlighted the port’s significant efforts to meet this challenge, including the deployment of electric charging and hydrogen supply infrastructure, as well as the production of green electricity. The introduction of zero-emission fuels for ships and trucks is a core component of the Port of Barcelona’s Energy Transition Plan, which aims to achieve carbon-neutral operations and facilities by 2050.

The event also gathered representatives from leading manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, Renault Trucks, Scania Iberia, Jac Motors, and Foton Trucks, who shared their perspectives on the present and future of battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell trucks.

Following the panel discussions, attendees had the opportunity to test a selection of new electric and hydrogen-powered trucks in the Service Centre’s parking area.