Charging toward 2035: Policies to accelerate zero-emission heavy-duty trucks in China’s regional and long-haul freight

This research paper evaluates the adoption potential of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks (HDTs) in China's regional delivery and long-haul freight sectors through 2035, analyzing the impact of demand-side policy interventions on total cost of ownership and market share.

• In the absence of policy interventions, zero-emission HDTs are projected to reach cost-competitiveness in regional delivery between model years 2030 and 2034, whereas adoption in long-haul trucking is expected to remain at a nascent stage through 2035. Battery electric trucks are predicted to dominate regional delivery, while the optimal technology for long-haul transport remains uncertain. In both sectors, zero-emission tractor trailers are more likely to see wide adoption than straight trucks.
• The study suggests that China could implement specific promotion targets for zero-emission trucks, specifically proposing a target of 33–57 percent for the regional delivery tractor trailer segment by 2030, supported by a robust charging network.
• A 50 percent reduction in road charges between 2024 and 2035 is identified as the most effective policy for accelerating zero-emission truck adoption. To offset public revenue losses, the study suggests imposing higher rates on diesel trucks, similar to the European Union's carbon-indexed road charge policy.
• Other critical policy levers include the expansion of public fast-charging stations and the reduction of overnight charging costs. Additionally, purchase and hydrogen subsidies for fuel cell electric trucks (FCET) are deemed useful before 2030 to sustain adoption until the total cost of ownership declines.
• Zero-emission straight trucks require more policy support than tractor trailers, specifically regarding weight allowances to compensate for payload losses associated with battery electric versions.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Charging toward 2035: Policies to accelerate zero-emission heavy-duty trucks in China’s regional and long-haul freight. https://www.wri.org/research/charging-toward-2035-policies-accelerate-zero-emission-heavy-duty-trucks-chinas-regional-long-haul-freight

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Charging toward 2035: Policies to accelerate zero-emission heavy-duty trucks in China’s regional and long-haul freight. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/charging-toward-2035-policies-accelerate-zero-emission-heavy-duty-trucks-chinas-regional-long-haul-freight.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Charging toward 2035: Policies to accelerate zero-emission heavy-duty trucks in China’s regional and long-haul freight |url=https://www.wri.org/research/charging-toward-2035-policies-accelerate-zero-emission-heavy-duty-trucks-chinas-regional-long-haul-freight |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendcharging, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Charging toward 2035: Policies to accelerate zero-emission heavy-duty trucks in China’s regional and long-haul freight}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/charging-toward-2035-policies-accelerate-zero-emission-heavy-duty-trucks-chinas-regional-long-haul-freight}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }