How can we decarbonize road freight transport by 2030?

The document outlines a socio-technical research project under the EU Horizon 2020 TRANSrisk initiative to identify pathways for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from heavy-duty vehicles in Sweden. It highlights the challenges of road freight decarbonization compared to personal vehicles and examines various technological options, including biofuels, battery electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells, and electric road systems (ERS). The project utilizes stakeholder workshops and quantitative modelling to develop scenarios that align with Sweden's goal of a fossil-fuel independent transport sector by 2030 and zero net emissions by 2045.

• Road transport emissions in Sweden have been difficult to mitigate, increasing from 28% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 1990 to 33% in 2013, with road freight specifically accounting for 12% of the total in 2014 compared to 7% in 1990.
• Sweden has established climate targets to achieve a transport sector independent of fossil fuels by 2030 and to reach zero net GHG emissions by 2045, which may require reductions of 70% compared to 2010 levels.
• While electrification is feasible for personal vehicles due to falling battery costs, it is more challenging for road freight due to heavy batteries and long charging times, making the decarbonization pathway for heavy-duty vehicles less clear.
• Electric road systems (ERS), which provide continuous electricity via overhead lines or in-road rails, are being actively tested in Sweden through various projects including Elways, a collaboration between Region Gävleborg, Scania, and Siemens, the EU FABRIC project (Volvo and Alstom), and Lund University's Elonroad project.
• European Commission policy plans to phase out first-generation biofuels by 2030 present a challenge for Sweden, as the blending of these biofuels has been a substantial contributor to its recent CO2 emission reductions.
• The TRANSrisk project employs a socio-technical approach combining desk research, stakeholder workshops, and quantitative modelling using the E3ME model to analyze the risks, costs, and governance interventions needed for various decarbonization scenarios.

APA

Nykvist, B., Suljada, T., & Carlsen, H. (2017). How can we decarbonize road freight transport by 2030? Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2017-FS-Nykvist-Decarbonize-Road-Freight.pdf

Chicago

Nykvist, Bjorn, Timothy Suljada, and Henrik Carlsen. How can we decarbonize road freight transport by 2030? Stockholm Environment Institute, 2017. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2017-FS-Nykvist-Decarbonize-Road-Freight.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Nykvist |first1=Bjorn |last2=Suljada |first2=Timothy |last3=Carlsen |first3=Henrik |title=How can we decarbonize road freight transport by 2030? |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2017 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2017-FS-Nykvist-Decarbonize-Road-Freight.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{nykvist2017how, author = {Nykvist, Bjorn and Suljada, Timothy and Carlsen, Henrik}, title = {{How can we decarbonize road freight transport by 2030?}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2017}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2017-FS-Nykvist-Decarbonize-Road-Freight.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }