Evaluation of Performance and Technological Characteristics of Battery Electric Logistics Vehicles: China as a Case Study

Abstract

The powertrain characteristics of battery electric logistics vehicles (BELVs) are extremely suited for the urban driving context and have a higher environmental protection potential for sustainable development, which can provide solutions for urban logistics decarbonization. The BELV is an important part of the Chinese national new-energy vehicle program, and the market penetration of BELVs has greatly improved. However, BELVs still have many technical shortcomings, which seriously affect their widespread acceptance. Therefore, it is necessary to reveal the technological characteristics and development direction of BELVs based on a large amount of marketing and technological data. This research reviewed the Chinese incentive policies and industrialization progress of BELVs. An evaluation system comprising 8 technological indicators for evaluating BELV technological progress was proposed. The distribution characteristics of the curb mass, vehicle volume, all-electric range, top speed, driving power, energy efficiency, traction battery and motor technology were analyzed for 2017 and 2019 markets’ models. The vehicle total cost, vehicle performance and reliability of BELVs are not advantageous yet. However, all the performance parameters are improving year by year, constantly meeting logistics demands. The subsidies are needed for longer for the market to mature. Finally, several suggestions for the technical development direction of BELVs were proposed. All these results can be used to improve the vehicle performance, reliability and market penetration of BELVs.