Alternative vs traditional truck powertrains in the EU: Total cost of ownership 2024

This IRU Intelligence Briefing evaluates the total cost of ownership (TCO), as well as the CO₂ emissions, for an articulated vehicle during its first six years of operation.

Data from France, Germany, Poland, Spain and Italy, the five leading EU road freight countries, revealed that national conditions significantly impact both the TCO and CO₂ emissions.

The analysis considers factors influencing TCO and emissions, including vehicle prices, subsidies, residual values, insurance and interest rates, energy consumption and costs, maintenance, and tolls. All figures are indexed to inflation.

A well to wheel approach is used to calculate CO₂ emissions, considering the carbon intensity of different energy sources in each country.

The briefing uses the Alternative Fuels and Efficiency Model: a unique, cutting-edge decarbonisation modelling tool developed by IRU and endorsed by academia.