Member of the Board of Management, Truck Technology, Daimler Truck Holding AG
Daimler Truck's Chief Technology Officer Andreas Gorbach on the market launch of electric trucks
The technology for electric trucks is ready. From the perspective of Andreas Gorbach, Head of Development at Daimler Truck, the path for emission-free long-haul trucks to enter the market is clear from a product standpoint. Now, political support is needed. In a video interview with electrive.net, Gorbach calls for, among other things, a "forward-looking CO2 pricing system" to make electric trucks more attractive compared to diesel trucks.
Finally, the atmosphere of a trade fair is back: We seized the opportunity and interviewed Andreas Gorbach, Chief Technology Officer of Daimler Truck AG, a...
Transcript (21 segments)
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Host0:09
Everything electric? I'm at the Daimler Truck booth meeting with development board member Andreas Gorbach. Looking back at the last IAA four years ago, there were few electric vehicles. This year we have a real fireworks display of electric and hydrogen vehicles. For a long time there was a rumor that batteries and trucks don't go together. Why does it work now?
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Andreas Gorbach0:45
Indeed, it is a major challenge. You have to store much more energy in the batteries and convert it very efficiently to the wheels. We have achieved a lot recently.
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Host1:02
What can the eActros LongHaul do that other trucks or only diesel trucks can do?
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Andreas Gorbach1:09
The key is the high range with over 600 kWh capacity, around 500 km with a battery-electric truck, efficient battery technology and fast charging cycles. That's what matters to customers.
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Host1:31
This segment is probably the last to be electrified. In distribution traffic, you already have products. What is your timeline? What will go fastest, what will take longest?
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Andreas Gorbach1:48
The question of speed is the most important. Three factors: product – we are relatively far along, and competitors also show a fireworks display; economics – energy costs, diesel vs. electricity vs. hydrogen, tolls; and infrastructure. All three are important. We are finished with our products. The bottleneck will be infrastructure and economics for the customer.
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Host2:46
Electrifying distribution traffic is no longer rocket science, but on long distances we still lack infrastructure. What pressure does the industry need to put on politics? It feels slower than we all hoped.
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Andreas Gorbach3:10
Indeed, infrastructure threatens to become the bottleneck. We founded a joint venture to provide initial support, but OEMs cannot drive infrastructure expansion alone. We need political framework. We are pursuing both battery and fuel cell. The question is not whether we can afford both, but whether we can decarbonize all mobility with only green electricity. My answer is clearly no. We need both hydrogen and electricity infrastructure.
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Host4:23
And what do you see for which customer groups?
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Andreas Gorbach4:27
Simply put, the higher the range and tonnage, the more attractive hydrogen becomes. For applications between 400 and 600 km, both can be better. For over 1000 km, hydrogen will prevail. Everything around cities can be electrified quickly.
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Host5:15
To come back, how long will you still have to install combustion engines in your trucks?
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Andreas Gorbach5:21
That again depends on the three factors: product, infrastructure, and economics. It will also be a question of how expensive CO2 is.
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Host5:37
We are experiencing very high energy prices. How is your customers' assessment changing? Are they ready for the new technologies?
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Andreas Gorbach5:55
Customers are very interested, buying small numbers, trying things out, and partly investing in infrastructure. But the tipping point depends on infrastructure and economics. High electricity prices are a barrier. We all need to make these products economically viable. As long as diesel is cheaper, the transformation won't go fast enough.
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Host6:46
What does the transformation mean for the trucker? Will he become an energy manager, or will technology take that over?
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Andreas Gorbach6:58
Technology will take that over. We use intelligent software to relieve the customer. Break time remains break time. We are also working on autonomous solutions.
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Host7:19
The infrastructure issue also challenges fleet operators with depots. Do you help them?
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Andreas Gorbach7:28
Absolutely, we already do that. We offer consulting and have partnerships with charging infrastructure manufacturers to advise on both vehicles and infrastructure.
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Host7:48
You spoke of a fireworks display. Maybe we can add a wish list. What three things would you wish from politics?
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Andreas Gorbach7:59
We need political decisions on infrastructure – it's not enough to regulate only OEMs. Second, a forward-looking CO2 pricing to make economics work for customers, because electric and hydrogen trucks will always have higher upfront costs. Electricity and hydrogen prices must fall, or diesel prices must rise, or we need toll regulation. We need politics on economics and infrastructure. The product is there.
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Host8:59
That I would hear that from a truck manufacturer – to raise CO2 prices – I wouldn't have thought. Mr. Gorbach, thank you very much for the interview and all the best.