Daimler Truck survey: more than 40% of fleet decision-makers see electric trucks as cheaper than diesel
A Daimler Truck survey of 197 fleet decision-makers in Germany, France and the UK finds more than 40 percent rate battery-electric trucks more cost-effective than diesel on total cost of ownership.
- 197
- More than 40 percent
- 2 percent
- Around 38 percent
What Happened
Daimler Truck surveyed 197 fleet decision-makers in Germany (71), the United Kingdom (64) and France (62) about different drive technologies; the company describes the survey as non-representative. More than 40 percent of respondents consider electric trucks the more cost-effective solution from a total cost of ownership perspective, 16 percent see both technologies roughly on par, and only around one quarter see a cost advantage for diesel trucks. Nearly a quarter of the surveyed fleet operators already use battery-electric trucks today. Market penetration nevertheless remains low: in 2025, heavy-duty battery-electric trucks accounted for only 2 percent of new registrations in Europe.
- More than 40 percent
- 16 percent
- Around one quarter
“Our customers are already operating battery-electric trucks economically in many applications today, including long-haul transport. To further accelerate the transformation, we must strengthen the entire ecosystem, especially by expanding charging infrastructure. This is how we create the conditions for turning individual success stories into a new transport standard.”
Around two-thirds of respondents rate electricity costs as at least as predictable as diesel costs, but 61 percent see electric mobility at a disadvantage when it comes to the predictability of electricity access, meaning the availability of charging infrastructure. Daimler Truck supports customers through its TruckCharge offering, which spans consulting, the installation and operation of charging infrastructure, and digital charging management. That includes semi-public charging, where companies make their own charging points available to external users when they are not needed for internal operations, with software for booking, controlling and billing the charging processes. The company also backs a Europe-wide public charging network for heavy-duty commercial vehicles through Milence, the joint venture it founded together with partners.
At the first edition of Daimler Truck's new dialogue format “Customer Pulse” at IAA Transportation 2026, Achim Puchert discussed the progress achieved and the path ahead with Stefan Hohm, Chief Development Officer and Member of the Executive Board of logistics provider Dachser. Dachser says it has been investing in the decarbonization of its transport operations for many years and now operates 25 emission-free delivery areas across Europe, deploying more than 200 battery-electric trucks in both regional and long-haul transportation. Hohm said charging needs a combination of depot charging at company facilities, semi-public charging points on private property and public charging infrastructure. Dachser will also become the first customer for the Mercedes-Benz NextGenH2 Truck.
“We gain valuable real-world experience every day with our battery-electric trucks. The technology works. The next challenge is to identify the right use cases and scale the transformation across the industry. In addition to the necessary economic and regulatory framework conditions, such as toll exemptions, our transport partners need investment certainty as well as a reliable expansion of energy and charging infrastructure.”
Heavy-duty battery-electric trucks account for only 2 percent of new registrations in Europe.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks remains clear market leader in Europe with around 38 percent of the market for heavy and medium-duty locally CO₂-free trucks.
The first “Customer Pulse” dialogue brings Achim Puchert and Dachser's Stefan Hohm together.
An initial liquid-hydrogen fuel-cell semi-truck is scheduled to enter daily operation at Dachser, the first customer for the Mercedes-Benz NextGenH2 Truck.
Two additional identical NextGenH2 vehicles are due to follow.
Previously from Daimler Truck AG
Daimler Truck's battery-electric trucks are already being put to work by customers on long-distance and fleet duties. In October 2026, Tobias Wagner drove a converted eActros 600 motorhome about 3,500 kilometers from Hanover to Türkiye with only three charging stops, completing the first major leg of a planned 45,000-kilometer world tour. Shortly before, Dutch outsourcing partner Egala took over 175 Mercedes-Benz Trucks vehicles, including 20 battery-electric eActros 600 alongside 155 diesel Actros semitrailer tractors.
- Elektrotrucker completes European leg of eActros 600 world tour with just three charging stops
- Egala orders 175 Mercedes-Benz trucks, including 20 battery-electric eActros 600, for its European fleet
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Daimler Truck AG's official releases.
Why this matters
The survey suggests that for a large share of fleets the case for an electric truck is now about running costs, not just emissions goals. It also shows the brakes: market penetration stood at only 2 percent of European heavy-duty registrations in 2025, and 61 percent of respondents see charging availability as electric mobility's weak point — an issue for hauliers weighing a switch, charging providers, and truck makers such as Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
Terms in This Story
- Total cost of ownership (TCO)
- The full cost of running a vehicle over its life — purchase price, energy, maintenance and resale value — rather than just the purchase price.
- Depot charging
- Charging at a company's own facility, typically when vehicles are parked between shifts, instead of at public charging points.
- Semi-public charging
- Charging points on private property that the owner opens to outside users during periods when they are not needed internally.
- Liquid-hydrogen fuel cell
- A truck powertrain that generates electricity from hydrogen carried on board in liquid form.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.