The AEVETO cluster’s new ESCALATEß-led working group on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) met online for the first time, with participants from the ZEFES, EMPOWER, NextETRUCK and FlexMCS projects. The group will work on two levels: a core steering circle of senior experts meeting monthly, and a wider pool of technical specialists invited to ad-hoc workshops to address specific methodological issues.
Discussions focused on the group’s intended outputs. While all agreed on producing position papers to share cross-project findings, views differed on the scope, audience and whether TCO and LCA should be addressed together. It was decided to develop two separate papers, starting with LCA due to its more advanced stage. Participants also favoured a focused scope, with details to be refined in future meetings.
To ensure alignment with wider initiatives, the group referenced the TranSensus CSA guidance and upcoming EU CO₂ standards for heavy-duty vehicles. Some projects will trial the TranSensus methodology and report on its real-world suitability.
Before the next call, the group will refine existing comparison tables covering evaluation metrics, tools, vehicle types and data availability. A first draft is expected within six to nine months.