Developing a strategic toolkit for the sustainable feasibility of using battery electric trucks for short-distance deliveries
type: CreativeWork
description: With the growing demand for more sustainable short-distance delivery operations and more efficient solutions for road freight transportation, several challenges arise from the limited studies that enable the logistics industry to make informed decisions about incorporating battery electric trucks (BETs) into their operations. In South Africa, the logistics sector faces the dual challenge of decarbonising road freight and maintaining operational efficiency. There is limited knowledge on how to successfully transition to BETs, with uncertainty surrounding operational planning, energy requirements, and economic feasibility, as well as the starting point of conceptualising the transition in a specific context. This creates a need for structured, data-driven decision support to guide the adoption of BET for short-distance deliveries. The research presents a data-driven decision-making toolkit that comprises different components that facilitate the identification of relevant operational factors, conceptualising the technological considerations that influence the financial outcome, and providing a consistent approach to identifying and evaluating potential opportunities for BET integration. The key objective of the study is to develop and validate a toolkit that systematically assesses, conceptualises a planning approach, and supports comparative analysis with Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) trucks, evaluating available opportunities in current operations. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining systematic and conceptual literature reviews identifying the key focus areas for implementation, with extensive stakeholder engagement and the iterative principles of Design Science Research (DSR). Toolkit development involved a co-design process with freight users, fleet managers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), charging providers, and financial advisors to validate and refine components. Both qualitative data and quantitative data (trip-level metrics an…
abstract: With the growing demand for more sustainable short-distance delivery operations and more efficient solutions for road freight transportation, several challenges arise from the limited studies that enable the logistics industry to make informed decisions about incorporating battery electric trucks (BETs) into their operations. In South Africa, the logistics sector faces the dual challenge of decarbonising road freight and maintaining operational efficiency. There is limited knowledge on how to successfully transition to BETs, with uncertainty surrounding operational planning, energy requirements, and economic feasibility, as well as the starting point of conceptualising the transition in a specific context. This creates a need for structured, data-driven decision support to guide the adoption of BET for short-distance deliveries. The research presents a data-driven decision-making toolkit that comprises different components that facilitate the identification of relevant operational factors, conceptualising the technological considerations that influence the financial outcome, and providing a consistent approach to identifying and evaluating potential opportunities for BET integration. The key objective of the study is to develop and validate a toolkit that systematically assesses, conceptualises a planning approach, and supports comparative analysis with Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) trucks, evaluating available opportunities in current operations. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining systematic and conceptual literature reviews identifying the key focus areas for implementation, with extensive stakeholder engagement and the iterative principles of Design Science Research (DSR). Toolkit development involved a co-design process with freight users, fleet managers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), charging providers, and financial advisors to validate and refine components. Both qualitative data and quantitative data (trip-level metrics an…
author: Pretorius, Talitha
language: en
date published: 2026-03
date modified: 2026-07-24T04:40:12Z
provider: Stellenbosch University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University