Managing urban freight electrification: spatial insights into battery electric truck delivery demand

The operational effectiveness of battery electric trucks (BETs) – a promising solution for mitigating the environmental impacts of urban freight—hinges on their spatiotemporal delivery patterns. Leveraging high-resolution GPS trajectory data from 2,652 BETs operating in Shanghai, this study employs spatial econometric models to examine how urban built environment factors shape BET delivery demand. Results reveal significant temporal variations, with delivery demands peaking during mid-day hours and being closely associated with specific land-use categories such as postal services, retail, and restaurants. Charging station density notably influences BET activities exclusively at mid-day, reflecting operational adjustments to battery limitations. BETs actively avoid congested central urban areas during peak times, highlighting the need for tailored urban freight management strategies, such as establishing dedicated zero-emission logistics zones and optimized charging infrastructure placement. This research advances the methodological understanding of electric freight demand modeling and provides actionable insights for policymakers aiming to enhance urban logistics efficiency and sustainability.