Time to stop humouring the road lorry at the expense of rail
An article by Chime Whistle Publishing, first published in Freight Tracks magazine in 2023.
Well, here we go again! Talk is yet again turning to whether the answer to reducing emissions is to convert lorries to electric power, which it collects via overhead cables. The topic is visited more times than a house by trick or treaters at Halloween, yet never concludes with anything that could possibly justify such a project.
Time to stop humouring the road lorry at the expense of rail
Look, lets face facts. What on earth are governments doing, humouring the road lobby with such fanciful ideas, when most countries already have a comprehensive rail network – often electrified – over which freight could be moved? In Devon, an aggregate company recently revised plans to expand its business after it was revealed that lorry movements to and from the site would increase from approximately 50 to over 200. If the movements had been by rail, I doubt if there would have been anywhere near the public outcry. Alas, with no rail connection that was not an option. This is a perfect example as to how the answer to reducing emissions is not electrified motorways, but better rail connectivity.
Road haulage advocates will say that although battery and hydrogen power have many drawbacks when applied to lorries, overhead electric cables are proven technology – trams using such a method for over a century.
Funding would be a political nightmare
Trials using overhead cables to power lorries have already been carried out in Sweden, Los Angeles and Germany. Battery power for lorries is impractical on a number of levels, not least the fact that a battery would need to be approximately six times bigger than that used for powering an electric car. The bad news doesn't stop there though. Such a size would not only significantly increase the weight of the lorry, it would also increase the wear and tear on roads along the major haulage routes and reduce the lorry's capacity. On top of all that, the purchase price of a lorry would sky rocket to an horrendous level. Talking of cost, there would almost certainly be arguments over who should pay for the necessary infrastructure. Haulage companies seem keen, by and large, to be involved but less keen to fund such changes – that burden would invariably fall on a country's government. Good luck to any politician trying to sell that to the electorate in the present economic crisis and when public opinion is swaying towards fewer lorries and more freight n rail. Estimates for installing overhead cables along motorways is approximately £5 M a mile. Even if funding was agreed, would it be a sensible use of public money? Some doubt it, due to the ever evolving battery technology that could render such a scheme obsolete within a relatively short time – It would be rather like building steam locomotives when the rail industry was on the brink of mass dieselisation. Such a move would be a political nightmare.
Batteries not a much better alternative
Heavy vehicles are often expected to make long journeys as quickly as possible. EU rules state that a single driver must drive for no longer than 4.5 hours before taking a 45 minute break. They are then allowed to drive for another 4.5 hours. This equates to approximately 270 miles for every 4.5 section of shift. Could such a battery powered vehicle be put into production – especially if rapid charging was available during the 45 minuter break? Although cost may well be less of an issue for lorries, compared to cars, due to much higher utilisation of commercial vehicles – thus being able to recover the capital cost much quicker – both are reliant on a plentiful supply of batteries. If battery powered road vehicles really took off, the supply of necessary metals needed for batteries would need to increase by a large multiple of the current output. This may sound simple, but new mines would have to be opened rapidly and cobalt, for example, is extracted as a by-product of extracting other metals – such as silver, nickel and copper. This inextricably ties in the economics of battery production with the demand for the other metals. If the go ahead was given tomorrow to increase production, it would take at least a decade to put into place the necessary infrastructure for mining operations to commence. Other difficulties in trying to tamp up production revolve around commercial pressures of government subsidies. Such financial arrangements are in place in China, making it difficult for other mining operators to mine in a way that is commercially viable. Another issue is one of democracy – democratic countries that offer subsidies can create commercial uncertainty, as the time taken to open a mine can be three times the life of a democratically chosen government.
Rail is the greener option
Taken all around, trying to make road haulage significantly green is a noble aspiration, but one that is just not feasible at the moment, and unlikely to be anytime soon. Rail, on the other hand, is way ahead of road – being able to move numerous lorry loads in a single train
Electric lorries is just the latest in a long line of proposals that ignore the obvious fact that railways are almost always better for moving bulk loads over a long distance – even if they do sometimes require lorries to trip them to and from freight terminals. Back in 2017, the road haulage industry was salivating over the bizarre idea of platooning lorries, where a leading lorry would control a number of other lorries as they sped along the motorway. A single driver in charge of long and heavy loads – haven't we already got this in the form of freight trains? In its desperation to win over the public the trial promotor tried to sway opinion by saying that the leading platoon lorry would reduce the drag by 10% for the other lorries in the platoon and the reduction in fuel costs could be passed on to shoppers. Ironically, the green washing didn't wash with the public.
Railfreight pictures from Rail Picture Library: https://tinyurl.com/2akcp255 and https://tinyurl.com/ypm6faty
Chime Whistle Publishing – not your usual railway books: https://www.chimewhistle.co.uk/shop