Q&A from The State of Electric & Hybrid Systems Webinar

During The State of Electric & Hybrid Systems webinar presented by Roland Berger, we had several questions that we didn’t have the opportunity to answer. Walter Rentzsch and Martin Weissbart, the amazing webinar presenters, have answered these questions here.

What do you see as far as the demand for charging solutions and infrastructure for CVOH?

Commercial vehicle (CV) electrification requires a combination of local charging solutions (such as depot charging and shared charging hubs) and highway charging solutions. Fully electrifying the medium- and heavy-duty fleet in the U.S. would require an estimated $622 billion investment in charging infrastructure, with approximately 90% allocated to the local charging network. This includes site-level, make-ready investments. Additionally, grid upgrade investments of around $370 billion would be necessary.

For the off-highway (OH) segment, a diverse range of charging solutions is needed to accommodate various use cases. This includes fixed charging installations (e.g., on farms), mobile charging solutions (including battery energy storage systems, or BESS), and battery swapping solutions, particularly for handheld machinery.

For both commercial and off-highway vehicles, expanding charging infrastructure will be critical in driving customer adoption and increasing battery-electric vehicle (BEV) penetration.

As far as market, quantities, and timing as well as technology and solutions, are CCS and MCS sufficient, or is there a need for something new or better?

Looking ahead, we anticipate a mix of combined charging system (CCS) and megawatt charging system (MCS). The current rollout of local charging solutions, including depot and shared charging hubs, primarily relies on CCS because of its availability and alignment with use case requirements. However, as the market matures and costs evolve, MCS is expected to gain traction, particularly toward the late 2020s and early 2030s.

What is the greatest cause of BEV uptake—product, infrastructure, or TCO?

Answer: All three factors—product availability, charging infrastructure, and total cost of ownership (TCO)—are equally critical. Without the right vehicles, adequate charging infrastructure, or cost parity with diesel, BEV adoption will stall.

Do you see any specific enabling technology trends in the near to medium term?

The availability of charging infrastructure is a fundamental enabler for electrification. Additionally, telematics-enabled, electric-vehicle (EV) services will play an increasingly important role in optimizing fleet operations and efficiency.

How about the charging infrastructure and installations in different scenarios—how will they charge?

Charging infrastructure investments will be significant (as noted above) and need to be phased in to ensure feasibility. Initially, electrification will focus on “easier” use cases, such as return-to-base, last-mile delivery fleets, where vehicles have sufficient dwell time in depots for overnight, Level-2 charging. Highway charging infrastructure will first be deployed along major freight corridors and then gradually expand to support broader electrification needs.

What opportunities do you see for hybrids in the commercial vehicle space?

In the U.S., if EV mandates are delayed, fleets may still pursue their own sustainability goals. In such cases, fleets will explore multiple strategies to reduce emissions, including biofuels and hybrid solutions. 

Hybrid trucks offer the advantage of operating in fully electric mode within designated areas, such as city centers, while switching to a combined internal combustion engine and electric mode for longer-range travel. This approach extends driving range while ensuring zero-emission operation in critical zones.

Did you miss the presentation? You can watch it The State of Electric & Hybrid Systems“ webinar on demand at any time.