Costs and capabilities of innovative concepts of long and heavy vehicles in Germany

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rtbm.2020.100518Get rights and content

Abstract

Within the innovative concept of truck platooning vehicles are coupled digitally to vehicle combinations. This can contribute to increase productivity in the road haulage industry. Quite a few field trials have been conducted. Within the European modular concept vehicles are coupled physically to modular vehicle combinations with increased dimensions. This can also contribute to increase productivity in the road haulage industry. It is introduced in Sweden and Finland, field trials have been conducted in Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany.

The purpose of the paper is to compare structural differences of cost cuttings of truck platooning and modular vehicle combinations if they were introduced in Germany. The comparison is based on several basic models, a highly automated truck platoon, a fully automated truck platoon, the Lang-Lkw in Germany with a maximum allowed mass (MAM) of 40 t, and the initial Swedish modular vehicle combination with a MAM of 60 t. Major criteria are the cost cuttings per tonne kilometre related to the productivity of the drivers, the fuel consumption, and the necessary technical equipment.

There seem to be cost advantages of the European modular concept. Though, the concept is limited to a dedicated road network. Advantages of truck platooning seem to be linked to their flexible formation but limited due to the necessity of decoupling due to the design of the infrastructure and in heavy traffic.

Introduction

Within the innovative concept of truck platooning vehicles are coupled digitally to vehicle combinations. This can contribute to increase productivity in the road haulage industry. Quite a few field trials have been conducted. Within the European modular concept vehicles are coupled physically to modular vehicle combinations with increased dimensions. This can also contribute to increase productivity in the road haulage industry. It is introduced in Sweden and Finland, field trials have been conducted in Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany. At the time being, different kinds of modular vehicle combinations are operated on a national basis.

The purpose of this paper is to compare structural differences of cost cuttings of truck platooning and modular vehicle combinations according to the European modular concept if they were introduced in Germany.

To this end the paper is organised as follows. In chapter two the political context is briefly described. In chapter three four basic models are derived to analyse the changes of resources needed per tonne kilometre in relation to the standard truck and semi-trailer respectively the truck and trailer combination with a maximum allowed mass (MAM) of 40 t. The models consider a highly automated truck platoon, a fully automated truck platoon according to the classification of the German Federal Highway Research Institute, the Lang-Lkw in Germany with a MAM of 40 t, and the initial Swedish modular vehicle combination with a MAM of 60 t.Major criteria are related to the productivity of the drivers, the energy consumption, and the technical equipment of the vehicle combinations. In chapter four the cost cuttings of truck platoons and modular vehicle combinations are discussed. Chapter five finalises the paper with a summary and a conclusion.

Section snippets

Policy context

In 1996 Finland and Sweden became Member States of the European Union. According to the road legislation in these two countries much longer road vehicles were allowed compared with the other member states. Further, there has been a MAM of 60 t. With respect to the existing vehicle fleet and the infrastructure of these two countries Council Directive 96/53 has been passed (European Council, 1996). While maintaining the existing weights and dimensions of the European Union, mainly 40 t MAM and

Basic models: European modular concept

Within the Swedish modular concept basically three conventional vehicle combinations can be combined to two modular vehicle combinations as shown in Fig. 1.

Assuming the same amount of payload to be transported along the same distances this means one tractor can be saved. Since the modular vehicle combinations have a MAM of 60 t compared with 40 t of the conventional vehicle combinations the remaining tractors need to have two driving axles and more powerful engines. They would further need a

Discussion

In Sweden modular vehicle combinations are widely in use. Åkerman & Jonsson (2007) The MAM of 60 t makes it a flexible concept as well as the design of the infrastructure which has been adapted to long and heavy vehicles for a long time.

Even though the cost advantages of the Lang-Lkw compared with the standard vehicle combinations appear to be substantial the companies in the German field trial seemed to be rather reluctant in stepping in. There seem to be several reasons for this. A first

Conclusion

There is an ongoing discussion about increasing productivity in the road haulage sector in the European Union. This paper outlines structural differences of cost cuttings of different innovative concepts, the European modular concept and the truck platooning, if they were introduced in Germany. The European modular concept increases the loading length by means of physically combining standard vehicles to modular vehicle combinations. It was introduced in 1996 in Sweden and has been tested and

Credit author statement

The entire article has been developed and written by the authors Umut Seidenova, Jan Hundenborn, and Stephan Keuchel (Westphalian University, Germany).

It has been presented at the European Transport Conference in Dublin 2019.

References (24)

  • I. Åkerman et al.

    European Modular System for road freight transport – experiences and possibilities, report 2007:2E ed. by TfK – TransportForsk AB and KTH

    (2007)
  • H. Backman et al.

    Improved Performance of European Long Haulage Transport, report 2002:6E, ed. by TfK – Institutet för transportforskning

  • BGL

    Modellrechnungen zur Kostenentwicklung im Güterkraftverkehr

  • De Winter, Joost C.F., et al. (2014) Effects of adaptive cruise control and highly automated driving on workload and...
  • European Council (1996). Council Directive 96/53/EC of 25 July 1996 laying down for certain road vehicles circulating...
  • European Commission

    Proposal for a directive amending Directive 96/53/EC of 25 July 1996 laying down for certain road vehicles circulating within the Community the maximum authorised dimensions in national and international traffic and the maximum authorised weights in international traffic, 2013/0105(COD)

    (2013)
  • European Parliament and Council

    Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 of 15 March 2006 on the harmonisation of certain social legislation relating to road transport and amending Council Regulations (EEC) No 3821/85 and (EC) No 2135/98 and repealing Council Regulation(EEC) No 3820/85

    Official Journal L

    (2006)
  • H. Fresenius et al.

    EDDI Elektronische Deichsel – Digitale Innovation, Kurzbericht mit Ergebnispräsentation

    (2018)
  • T. Gasser
  • B.f. Güterverkehr

    Mauttabelle 1. Juli 2020

  • Irzik, M. et.al. (2018) Feldversuch mit Lang-Lkw, final report, Reports edited by the Federal Highway Research...
  • Janssen, R. et al. (2015) Truck Platooning – Driving the Future for Transportation, available at...
  • Cited by (2)

    View full text