Research Articles

The race to decarbonize on-road vehicles is undoubtedly being led by battery-electric powertrains. However, the superior energy density of fuel cell systems, when compared to today's Li-ion battery systems, means that they can deliver a greater range for the same system weight.

Though battery-electric models currently make up only a small fraction of total global truck sales (around 0.4% in 2021), it is already clear that the transition from diesel combustion engines to zero-emission technologies is well underway.

The sustainability of business operations is now a key consideration in the boardrooms of major corporations, and this is fuelling significant demand for zero-emission trucks. Transitioning truck fleets from diesel combustion engines to zero-emission powertrains is a very visible way for companies to demonstrate their green credentials to their customers whilst delivering a meaningful reduction in their carbon footprint.

With increasing scrutiny of the environmental impact of current building practices, the electrification of mobile construction machinery offers construction companies a relatively near-term opportunity to demonstrate their environmental credentials.

The vast majority of new trucks sold today are powered by diesel engines, but like other on-road vehicle segments, this is set to change.

Electrification will undoubtedly play an important role in enabling construction firms to deliver on their environmental targets and IDTechEx's new report "Electric Vehicles in Construction 2022-2042" provides a comprehensive assessment of current progress in this emerging sector, with case study detail and background on key enabling technologies.

Construction machines are estimated to generate around 400 Mt of CO2 emission per year, which is around 1.1% of global CO2 emission. Decarbonization of non-road mobile machines will therefore be an important factor in efforts to limit global climate change. With an increasing number of countries around the world committing to a net-zero carbon future, the construction industry is facing growing scrutiny of its' greenhouse gas emissions.

On the face of it, 2021 was a good year for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) in passenger car markets. Toyota, with their second generation Mirai FCEV, and Hyundai, with their NEXO FCEV, both had record sales, which largely made up for Honda announcing in June 2021 that it had decided to pull the plug on production of their Honda Clarity FCV (citing the lack of hydrogen infrastructure and weak demand).

All major players in the automotive industry are racing to develop and deploy zero-emission vehicles: a tumultuous change in powertrain technology is underway. The new report from IDTechEx, "Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles 2022-2042", analyzes the role of fuel cells in on-road vehicles.

Incorporating a fuel cell into an electric vehicle powertrain, generating electricity from hydrogen, offers a technology pathway that delivers the critical reduction in on-road exhaust emissions whilst overcoming the potential range and charging limitations of battery electric vehicles (BEV). IDTechEx's analysis in their new report, "Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles 2022-2042", forecasts the market value of on-road fuel cell vehicles will grow to $160 billion in 2042 at a CAGR of 23.9% over the 20-year forecast period.

World Electric Vehicle Day is here, and, as an industry analyst, it presents a great occasion to take a retrospective look at the past decade of innovation and disruption.

To mark National Aviation Day, a celebration of the history and development of aviation, IDTechEx analysts consider the future of electric aircraft.

The deployment of zero-emission buses in the US has lacked the impetus of the electrification efforts seen in China and Europe, as discussed in IDTechEx's report "Electric, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Buses 2021-2040". This is about to change.

Electrical Vertical Take-off and Landing aircraft (eVTOL) are moving from science fiction to reality, enabled by rapid advancements in electric motor, battery, and computing technology, the new report from IDTechEx, "Air Taxis: Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing Aircraft 2021-2041", finds.

Air taxis and flying cars are easy to hype but IDTechEx's new report on the subject is not that hype. This independent research into electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for passenger transport reflects the reality of the eVTOL market at this early stage of its development.

The electric truck market in the US is primed for huge growth. Having largely lagged behind China and Europe in electric commercial vehicle deployment, the transition to zero-emission vehicles in this sector now seems set to begin in earnest.

IDTechEx believe it is increasingly self-evident that the future of the industry cannot rely on the deployment of traditional combustion engines.

Despite the difficult current financial climate, there is evidence of growing momentum in the LCV market, transitioning away from conventional diesel fuelled light commercial vehicles (LCVs) toward electric light commercial vehicles (eLCVs).

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced shoppers online, driving huge demand for home delivery. Moreover, growth has the potential to resume beyond the pandemic: in addition to consumer goods, the genie is out the bottle for home grocery delivery, which many consumers, having experienced it for the first time, will want to continue. Light commercial vehicles (LCVs) are the backbone of this growing demand for delivery infrastructure.

The bus market is at a crossroads. The pressing need for cities around the world to improve air quality, alongside commitments by many governments to address climate change, are powering plans to deliver zero on-road emission city bus fleet solutions. Over the next decade these efforts will see major cities increasingly refuse to purchase anything but zero-emission buses, as they deliver on promised zero-emission zones to protect the health of their citizens.

Along with the rest of the automotive sector, the medium and heavy-duty truck market is evolving. Governments around the world, recognising the potentially catastrophic repercussions of unfettered climate change and witnessing the detrimental impact on human health from vehicle exhaust pollutant emissions in urban environments, are taking decisive action, that will, in the coming decades, drive vehicle manufacturers to zero on-road exhaust emission powertrain solutions. Consequently, the days of the fossil fuel powered combustion engine are numbered.

Global Production of Electric Light Commercial Vehicles to Exceed 2.4 Million Units Annually by 2030 Forecasts IDTechEx. The light commercial vehicle market is at the dawn of a revolution; the future is electric.

IDTechEx Technology Analyst Dr David Wyatt has recently published a report update "Electric Truck 2020-2030", focusing on electrification in the medium and heavy-duty truck markets, providing a comprehensive set of market forecasts.

The electric vehicle market is growing rapidly and, as Tesla has demonstrated, the market is not restricted to the established automotive OEMs. Indeed, the automotive landscape is changing as traditional internal combustion engines are being replaced by all-electric systems, in order to meet ever more stringent on-road emission legislation.