Challenges in the transition to electric vehicles for the logistics sector

The market is demanding more every day sustainability. It is one of the great mega-tractors of the economy, as well as the conscious consumer. This fact is making big brands move towards that position. Out of belief, or out of necessity, the entire market is being forced to Transition towards production processes with lower environmental impact.

Unquestionably, logistics is a very important part of all companies' emissions and the market is beginning to transition to more sustainable and efficient methods. From the relocation of factories to points closer to their customers, to limiting air transport as much as possible or transitioning their own fleets to electric vehicles.

At the last ICIL Debates convention in Barcelona, two important retailers in our country such as Mango or Unequal showed the difficulty in finding carriers capable of offering sustainable delivery. They get together three important challenges when it comes to achieving the transition to electric vehicles: The large investment in electric vehicles (3x a diesel) Charging management of the vehicle (charging point, charging times, civil works, etc.) Operational Management of an electric fleet (range management, type of driving, etc.) If, in addition, we add that most of the fleets belong to small entrepreneurs or the self-employed, it makes that transition really difficult.

Investment in electric vehicles

Nowadays we find a multitude of brands with electric vehicle solutions on the market. Especially in light vehicles, we find the largest catalog of brands such as Citroën, Fiat, Nissan or Ford, among others. Brands with extensive experience in this type of traditional industrial vehicles that have focused on offering electrical solutions so that their customers can face the restrictions of cities such as Low Emission Zones. The problem appears when the operation requires larger tonnage trucks. Brands such as Jac Motors they already offer solutions that allow them to beat their diesel counterparts in a few years.

Charging management

The installation of a charging point itself can be an expensive installation and its optimization depends to a large extent on the needs of the operation. Points such as the number of vehicles to be recharged, charging times and other variables will determine the power needed, which may make the final cost of the installation more expensive or considerably lower. Specialist companies such as Circontrol and Bia Power make it possible to achieve a balance between installation and efficient loading of any fleet.

Operational Management

Many companies are not aware that the transition is not just about buying an EV and setting up a charging point. One of the advantages of an EV is that it requires much less maintenance, but new restrictions such as range management are key to getting the most out of this type of vehicle. Nowadays, fleet managers do not have the knowledge to plan routes with the precision required by this type of vehicle. To this end, companies such as Aigües de Barcelona, with one of the largest electric fleets, use route optimization technology such as Routal Capable of plan routes taking into account the range of your electric vehicles to maximize its use, even if it does not have 100% of the available load.

Conclusion

The electric vehicle transition It's not just a replacement for automotive technologies, if it does not involve other essential parts such as recharging or operational management itself. The challenge for companies, administrations and clients is to facilitate, promote and finance this change. The market is pushing hard towards more sustainable logistics. We already have the technology to address each and every one of the challenges, all we need is training and institutional support to finish facing this national challenge.

Excerpt from the article published in the Supply.net magazine in May 2023