Real-world data analysis of energy consumption, activity and charging patterns of battery electric trucks operating in Germany

This study provides one of the first in-depth analyses of real-world operational and energy consumption data from battery electric trucks (BET) in Germany. As part of the ELV-LIVE research project, data were collected from 19 Daimler eActros 300 and 400 trucks between 2023 and early 2025. These vehicles were operated by five case study partners in various regional transport applications. The goal was to better understand actual energy consumption under real-world conditions, identify influencing factors, analyse charging patterns, and derive initial optimisation strategies for vehicle operation and infrastructure planning.

The motivation behind the study stems from the rapid, yet early-stage, deployment of electric trucks in response to European climate policies. Despite increasing sales, there remains considerable uncertainty about their real-world performance. Predictable energy consumption and charging behaviour are key parameters for logistics planning, infrastructure development, and vehicle fleet electrification strategies.