Fact check: 10 battery myths

Especially in times of rapidly increasing electricity prices this argument is obvious, but in the end, the total cost of energy per ton-kilometer determines how cost-effective a powertrain is. Even taking into consideration significant future price increases, commercial electricity is much cheaper. "For this reason, if a battery is used regularly and intensively, it can pay for itself more quickly than for example a fuel cell system," says Andreas Kammel. By comparison, in an ideal scenario, green hydrogen can be produced for just over €1 per kg in North Africa or South America. But by the time it reaches the tank of a fuel cell truck in central Europe, its price has increased to at least €3 to €4, as a result of transport, conversion costs and the margins, as well as operation of the filling station itself. Even if hydrogen could be produced more cheaply, this would not change the overall picture drastically. In fact, from the perspective of the entire system, it would effectively result in the price of electricity also falling.