Road transport is in a transitional phase, accelerated by the emergence of climate issues and the announced shortage of fossil fuels, which affects the entire planet. Combustion solutions are progressively giving way to carbon-neutral, sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions. The future of road transport presents itself, day by day, with a new paradigm, in which governments and companies make commitments and face new challenges. So what can we expect from the future of road transport? How can companies adapt?
The sector with new horizons
The transport sector, specifically road transport, is at a journey time of no return, with a complete paradigm shift on the horizon. The report from the European Commission's Joint Research Center, "The future of road transport - Implications of automated, connected, low-carbon and shared mobility", suggests that developments in "data management, infrastructure, communication and cybersecurity technologies, and legislation" are enablers of this change. What's more, the document indicates that in this context, impacts will be visible in areas as diverse as "employment, energy, the sustainability of raw materials, democracy, privacy, and social justice.
EU policy is also one of the drivers of this change, through tools such as the European Green Pact. This agreement has a special focus on transport, which currently accounts for 25 percent of the European Union's total greenhouse gas emissions. And the goal is ambitious: to reduce 90% of transport-related greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. To achieve this, it will be imperative to coordinate the efforts of governments, private companies and citizens in all the countries involved.
Electrical solutions are immediate and attractive answers
Virtually all car brands have implemented electric models in their offer. The same happens with heavy goods vehicles. As it is a technology currently more widely used (compared to others such as hydrogen), it is an immediate response to the sustainability requirements of the final consumer and governmental organizations.
The logistics phase of delivery to the final consumer is one that has benefited the most from this sustainable alternative. Companies such as UPS are incorporating electric trucks in their fleet with the promise of strengthening the bet until it completely eliminates carbon emissions.
Although electric mobility is a flagship with special impact on the final consumer, it will progressively affect the entire logistics operation chain, especially in processes involving the use of fuels.
The challenges on the road transport's way to the future
The big challenge is really the ability to keep up and adapt to new realities. Electric and autonomous vehicles are already available and companies should be as agile as possible in the medium term, as suggested by PwC, to incorporate them in their fleets. England and France, for example, are two of the countries that intend to ban the sale of fossil fuel-powered cars by 2040.
The greater the challenges will be, the faster the shift to more environmentally friendly vehicles. This is because the issue of components and their availability at suppliers directly impacts production and, of course, sales. An example of this is what has been happening throughout 2021 with the semiconductor crisis. The automotive industry (and not only) has been suffering from a shortage of these microchips since 2022.
Cooperation between the various players in the industry is therefore crucial for a successful road transport future. Sharing knowledge, implementing dynamics across the board, and jointly analyzing trends and solutions meet the new challenges.
Source: Shell Brasil
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