MAN Truck & Bus “Beyond Diesel” Report Shows How Early Fleet Electrification Can Deliver Up to 13% TCO Advantage and Strengthen Long-Term Competitiveness

MAN Truck & Bus “Beyond Diesel” Report Shows How Early Fleet Electrification Can Deliver Up to 13% TCO Advantage and Strengthen Long-Term Competitiveness

(IN BRIEF) MAN Truck & Bus has published its new “Beyond Diesel” strategy report showing how early adoption of battery-electric trucks can deliver a structural competitive advantage when fleet electrification is combined with depot charging, photovoltaic generation, battery storage and intelligent energy management. The report points to a European truck market in rapid transition, with studies indicating battery-electric vehicles could account for 15% to 35% of new truck registrations by 2030 and around 50% of transport companies potentially operating at least one eTruck by 2035, while more than 15,000 electric trucks are already in daily use across approximately 5,000 European fleets. MAN argues that up to 90% of charging will take place at operators’ own depots, where integrated energy systems can reduce electricity costs below €0.16/kWh and produce a TCO advantage of up to 13% compared with diesel over five years. The report illustrates this through Foppiani Transport in Italy, Betonwerk Bad Lausick in Germany and Schlager Transport Logistik in Austria, showing how operators can progress from structured first deployments to large-scale fleet and depot electrification, with the economic benefits increasingly influencing customer access, transport contracts and long-term competitiveness.

(PRESS RELEASE) MUNICH, 7-Sep-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — MAN Truck & Bus has published a new strategic report, “Beyond Diesel,” examining how battery-electric trucks can already create structural competitive advantages for transport operators when vehicle deployment is combined with depot charging, energy management, photovoltaic generation and battery storage.

The report draws on three customer examples from Italy, Germany and Austria, each representing a different stage of fleet electrification, and argues that electric trucks are moving from an emerging technology into a core strategic consideration for commercial vehicle operators.

According to MAN, more than 15,000 battery-electric trucks are already operating on European roads across around 5,000 haulage and transport companies.

The company says the market is entering a structural transformation, with studies indicating that battery-electric trucks could account for between 15% and 35% of new truck registrations in Europe by 2030.

By 2035, MAN estimates that around 50% of European haulage and transport companies could have at least one battery-electric truck in their fleets.

Electrification increasingly linked to access to customers and contracts

MAN argues that electrification is becoming increasingly important not only because of regulatory requirements but also because more shippers are requesting or requiring zero-emission transport in tenders.

The European Union is placing progressively stricter CO₂-reduction requirements on commercial vehicle manufacturers, while customers across transport and logistics are seeking lower-emission supply chains.

As a result, companies that begin electrifying fleets and depots early may be better positioned to secure transport contracts, develop energy-management expertise and establish themselves as important partners in low-carbon logistics networks.

MAN also notes that some operators are already able to obtain higher rates for zero-emission transport services, improving the commercial case for early adoption.

Depot energy systems can unlock the strongest economic benefits

The “Beyond Diesel” report emphasises that the economic case for electric trucks depends on more than the vehicle itself.

MAN identifies the combined ecosystem of truck, depot, charging infrastructure and energy management as the key factor in achieving competitive operating costs.

Total cost of ownership is influenced by electricity prices, charging infrastructure, tolls and CO₂-related costs.

According to MAN, the depot represents the biggest opportunity for improving economics because as much as 90% of charging events already take place, and are expected to continue taking place, at operators’ own facilities.

By combining photovoltaic systems, battery storage and intelligent charging strategies, MAN says operators can reduce electricity costs to below €0.16 per kilowatt-hour.

Under favourable conditions, this can translate into a TCO advantage of up to 13% over diesel trucks during a five-year period.

Foppiani Transport demonstrates structured entry into fleet electrification

The first customer example in the report is Foppiani Transport, a family-owned company based in Milan operating national line-haul and specialist transport services with an entirely MAN-based fleet.

Foppiani currently operates one electric tractor unit and one electric chassis vehicle and has another MAN eTGX on order.

Its electrification programme is supported by depot charging infrastructure and a 350 kWp photovoltaic installation in Milan.

MAN presents Foppiani as an example of a structured and carefully managed entry into electrification, beginning with selected routes rather than immediately attempting a full-fleet conversion.

Pietro Zanon, Purchasing & Maintenance Manager at Foppiani, said customer willingness to pay a premium for the benefits of battery-electric transport can outweigh the additional costs involved in introducing the technology.

Betonwerk Bad Lausick focuses on scale and economic returns

The second example is Betonwerk Bad Lausick in Germany, which operates in the time-sensitive concrete logistics sector.

The company currently uses five MAN eTGX trucks, each equipped with six battery packs, alongside a substantial depot energy system.

Its infrastructure includes 400 kW charging stations, 1.8 MWp of photovoltaic capacity and battery storage systems across several locations.

According to MAN, this configuration is expected to generate a TCO advantage of approximately €500,000 over five years.

Robin Schulze, Managing Director of Betonwerk Bad Lausick, said economic viability is the primary consideration behind the company’s electrification strategy.

MAN highlights this example as evidence that battery-electric commercial vehicles can be evaluated on conventional business grounds rather than environmental positioning alone.

Schlager Transport Logistik integrates electrification into overall business strategy

The third case study is Schlager Transport Logistik, an Austrian long-haul transport company that has made fleet electrification a central element of its wider business model.

Around 50% of the company’s fleet is already battery-electric, with the operator aiming to become fully electric from 2030 onward.

Its Saxen depot is supported by an integrated energy system comprising approximately 765 kWp of photovoltaic generation and 1.6 MWh of battery storage.

Company owner Hubert Schlager initially calculated the economics of electrification himself and concluded that approximately half of commercial vehicle fleets in Germany and Austria could already be electrified economically under current conditions.

MAN presents Schlager as an example of a fleet operator treating electrification as a broader strategic transformation rather than simply replacing diesel trucks with battery-powered vehicles.

MAN positions integrated electrification as competitive differentiator

Roland Schurig, Vice President Zero Emission Projects at MAN Truck & Bus, said the customer examples show that electric trucks can already be economically viable today.

He added that the strongest competitive advantages are likely to be achieved by companies that electrify the entire operational system, including the vehicle, depot infrastructure, charging equipment and energy management.

MAN said it is working with both new and existing customers to assess their current level of electrification readiness and identify the next steps in their transformation strategies.

Four-model eTruck range covers 12 to 50 tonnes

MAN’s current eTruck portfolio includes four model series covering gross vehicle weights from 12 to 50 metric tonnes.

The range is intended to serve different commercial transport applications as fleet operators gradually expand battery-electric vehicle use across regional, distribution and long-haul operations.

The company’s “Beyond Diesel” report is designed to complement its vehicle offering by examining the commercial, infrastructure and energy conditions required to make electrification economically successful.

Media Contact:

Thomas Pietsch
Communications Manager Van & Zero Emission Mobility
presse-man@man.eu
+49 89 1580-2001

SOURCE: MAN Truck & Bus