A review of the key components driving decision-making in the transition from ice trucks to be trucks within the freight sector

Abstract

In South Africa road transportation dominates freight movement, with most freight transportation performed by road, using mainly trucks for larger payloads. Efforts to reduce road-based logistics are underway, however full reliance on trucks cannot yet be eliminated due to its current high demand and the complexity of moving goods. With an increase in the demand to be sustainable from the perspectives of operational, environmental and economic considerations, the planning of operations aligned with these goals are emphasised. The study aims to reduce adoption uncertainty by illuminating the multidimensional considerations to be considered surrounding battery electric trucks (BETs) adoption and enable vehicle operators to ease disruption to their operations. A literature review was done to identify the decision-making aspects that influence the adoption of BETs in global freight applications. Existing literature was analysed from technological, operational and financial perspectives, highlighting the critical aspects to consider when making decisions. The review included the analysis to conceptualise the information deemed important to transition vehicles and identifying current trends indicating focus areas within literature. The synthesis emphasises the decision-making factors and implications on stakeholders within the road freight sector with the identification of industry challenges that should be addressed. The factors can enable informed decision-making for policymakers, industry leaders and researchers considering the shift to electromobility.