Historically, heavy-duty trucks have proven difficult to electrify, with the average annual mileage of a truck approximately ten times that of a passenger vehicle, regularly driving hundreds of km a day. 2024 has seen further growth in the global electric truck market, with progressive emissions reductions mandated by governments projected to propel further uptake.

While the fully battery electric vehicle (BEV) has struggled in several key markets, its plug-in hybrid alternative (PHEV) has been experiencing a stellar year. On the surface, PHEVs may appear to be an ideal compromise: zero emissions travel but without the same extent of reliance on expensive Li-ion batteries and backup ICE power to quell range anxiety. So, have BEVs had their moment in the sun, and is the future hybrid?

IDTechEx forecasts the second-life EV battery market to grow to US$4.2B in value by 2035, given the increasing availability of retired EV batteries over the coming decade. Li-ion batteries in electric vehicles may be used for 6-15 years, depending on the application and their degradation over time. Once these batteries reach a capacity, or State-of-Health (SOH), that is too low to facilitate the driving range requirements of the EV, these are retired. These batteries could be recycled to reclaim critical and valuable raw materials, which could be reintroduced into new EV battery manufacturing.

Wednesday 18 December 2024 - The current state of the zero-emission truck market; What zero-emission trucks need to deliver for commercial rollout; Key enabling technologies: batteries/motors/charging infrastructure; Battery vs fuel cell powertrains; IDTechEx's outlook for zero-emission truck deployment

IDTechEx predicts that 2024 and the coming couple of years will be seen as the hockey-stick moment for robotaxis. Companies across the US and China are preparing for a mass roll-out of services. Cruise was one of the early leaders in robotaxi development, getting off to a good start and attracting the attention of General Motors who acquired the company in 2016. However, in December 2024 it appears that GM and Cruise's robotaxi endeavour is coming to a premature end.

Software-defined vehicles (SDVs) represent a combination of automotive features that provide new possibilities for passengers to engage with vehicles. IDTechEx depicts how the cellular connectivity within SDVs can provide access to IoT (Internet of Things) features including OTA (over-the-air) updates, personalization, and entertainment options.

As applications for wearable technology grow, there are increasing opportunities for sensors that can detect more advanced metrics, be integrated into novel form factors, offer enhanced performance, or demand less power and space. Innovations in wearable sensor technology are expanding the envelope of biometrics accessible through watches and skin patches, addressing the rising demand for remote patient monitoring and decentralized clinical trials but also increasing consumer expectations.

Many will be aware of the concerns around rare earth materials, such as price volatility and environmental impact. One way to alleviate concerns is by adopting magnetic materials that do not contain rare earths. Based on IDTechEx's latest research report on "Electric Motors for Electric Vehicles 2025-2035: Technologies, Materials, Markets, and Forecasts", this article will cover some of the most promising alternatives and their trade-offs.

Haptics might fly under the radar, but they form a major industry that offers serious user experience benefits to consumers. IDTechEx forecasts a US$7.1 billion market for haptic technology in 2035, with much of the growth in this market being fueled by the adoption of haptics in new classes of device.

Over a million cars today use long-wave infrared (LWIR) as an add-on within optional night driving systems. By 2027, IDTechEx predicts that these infrared cameras will be commonly installed as part of ADAS systems, providing night vision and abilities to either kickstart the autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system or alert the driver.

If H2ICE offers significant emissions reductions, can be done quickly, and does not compromise on performance and range (essential metrics for commercial vehicles), then what is holding it back?

Permanent magnet (PM) motors have dominated the BEV market for years and continue to do so, providing the best efficiency and power density for a variety of EV applications. Magnet-free wound rotor synchronous motors (WRSM) are a primary alternative to PM motors, with adoption seen from players like Renaut and BMW, while induction motors are useful for short acceleration bouts in dual motor vehicles as they are low cost and have no rolling drag when not in use.

Monday 9 December 2024 - Commercializing Autonomous Vehicles: Robotaxis, Robobuses and Robotrucks; Case studies of key robotaxi players and their deployments; Analysis of robotaxi testing, performance, and deployments; Outlook of how the robotaxi industry will grow and scale in coming years; Market outlook of key Roboshuttles, Autonomous Buses and Autonomous Truck players and their deployments; Analysis of Autonomous Truck TCO in different regions; Outlook of how the Roboshuttles, Autonomous Buses industry will grow and scale in coming years

As governments stretch to meet their Paris Agreement goals and other sustainability targets, global demand for light-duty road freight is set to more than double between 2020 and 2050. A growing global population, rising income levels, and a booming e-commerce industry all factor into this increase in demand.

The development of autonomous buses and roboshuttles is likely to continue somewhat slowly due to a lack of funding and regulatory challenges. However, IDTechEx highlights the next stages of developments within their report, and with the already commercialized examples of autonomous city buses and minibusses, success in the industry is increasingly likely.

Utilizing alternatives to helium where possible could allow for a greater conservation of helium, which could prove to be necessary for the market going forward. IDTechEx reports that since 2005, there have been 4 supply shortages of helium, each resulting in high price volatility, with the price of helium having almost doubled since 2021.

Thursday 5 December 2024 - Electric Light Commercial Vehicles: The Present and Future of Cargo; An overview of the global LCV industry; The role of regulation in LCV electrification; Key sales trends and manufacturers across global markets; Total costs of ownership (TCO) for eLCVs; Hydrogen fuel cell and plug-in hybrid LCVs

Electric vehicles (EVs) have seen tremendous growth historically, but growth has slowed somewhat in 2024. The goal of automakers is to reduce the cost of making EVs, both to improve their profit margins on existing vehicles and to make lower-cost models more feasible.

Autonomous driving technologies have seemingly been on the horizon for the last decade, maybe more. Over the past four years, level 3 technologies have been certified for consumer use on public roads, hands-off/eyes-on driving has solidified as a market segment, and commercial driverless robotaxi services have become available to the public.

The scale of the challenges faced by electric aviation, with weight, range, ownership costs, and even carbon footprint, all need consideration. Despite this, IDTechEx believes that current technical trends combined with achievable business use cases will generate significant electric plane uptake in the future.