Electric, hydrogen, biofuels: which energies will power tomorrow's trucks?

There is no longer any doubt on this segment: electrification of vans and light commercial vehicles, still embryonic in 2023, has become tangible in 2025. The European Green Deal no longer leaves manufacturers a choice, and this momentum is benefiting Chinese brands first and foremost, as they control the entire battery value chain (materials, cells, complete vehicles) and are turning it into their Trojan horse for entering the European market.

Urban distribution generates the strongest appetite for electric power: limited, plannable mileage, the need for quiet operation on night-time deliveries, and standstill time in traffic jams. Renault Trucks illustrated this with its D E-Tech rigid truck, fitted with 176 kWh (gross) LFP battery packs. The SOLUTRANS review details the full technical specifications of this model, along with competing offers already positioned on this segment.

Charging needs for electric trucks: a large-scale equation

It's one of the most talked-about figures at the show: according to Enedis, the energy required to charge electric heavy goods vehicles could reach 11.8 TWh by 2035 nationwide, with power demand peaks of up to 2.4 GW. A scale that directly concerns fleet managers and logistics zone planners.

Some platforms, such as the one in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier in the Isère region, could alone require 10 MW of power as early as 2035. Enedis is unequivocal about what this transition entails, particularly in dense logistics zones. The review looks in detail at the zones identified as sensitive and at recommendations for coordination between energy distributors, hauliers and local authorities.

Biofuels: a role still taking shape, a dependency to watch

Biofuels currently account for 10% of primary renewable energy consumption in France, according to SDES. Biodiesel makes up 73% of that figure, mainly composed of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). However, France remains a net importer in this segment, with a marked dependency on a handful of neighbouring countries.

The RED III directive also sets a binding sub-target of 5.5% for advanced biofuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origin, including low-carbon hydrogen. The SOLUTRANS review details the precise breakdown of French import and export flows, offering useful insight into the biofuels sector's real room for manoeuvre.

Long-haul trucks: still open to the full energy range

Unlike urban distribution, the 26-tonne-plus segment remains a field where the energy mix is still fully relevant. Diesel, B100, HVO, CNG: several manufacturers, including Scania and MAN, have chosen to showcase a multi-energy vision rather than betting exclusively on electric. Scania, for example, showcased the full range of alternative energies to diesel, with the exception of hydrogen.

Hydrogen nonetheless remains present in segments with high onboard energy intensity, with manufacturers such as MAN, Toyota Motors and Hyundai HTWO continuing their development work. The review explains why these "alternative combustion" energies could nevertheless disappear from catalogues by the time Euro VII comes into force, except for certain specific uses.

Batteries: the next technological breakthrough?

The future of batteries also hinges on chemistry. Manufacturers' stated goal is to reach, within five years, an energy density of 750 to 900 Wh/kg thanks to solid-electrolyte batteries — a threefold increase compared with current battery packs. A major obstacle remains, however: the investments already made by lithium-ion specialists in their current production lines.

Another issue closely followed by the industry is that of second-life batteries and the rapid diagnosis of their state of health, a subject on which the CEA announced a notable breakthrough in late 2025. The SOLUTRANS review expands on these technological outlooks over a 5-year horizon, along with the industrial obstacles identified and the European projects under way.

What the industry should take away for 2027