Electric trucking guide

How to ensure the management and maintenance of a fleet of electric trucks?

Switching to an electric truck does not mean starting from scratch in terms of maintenance. Much of the maintenance remains that of a “traditional” heavy vehicle: tires, brakes, suspension, steering, chassis, bodywork and regulatory inspections. Where electric changes the game is with the addition of a high-voltage and software dimension, and above all the inability to dissociate the truck from its energy ecosystem.

The fleet thus becomes a coherent whole where vehicles, batteries, charging stations, the electrical grid, monitoring tools and operating procedures must be considered together.

This fact sheet aims to present the basics: what really changes, what needs to be planned and how to structure a maintenance approach.

A different approach to maintenance

“Mechanically, the electric truck is simpler. Fewer moving parts, no internal combustion engine, so you eliminate everything related to combustion, engine oils and emissions control. In practice, that reduces certain maintenance operations, but of course there remains maintenance for the other truck systems and its electrical system,” says Kevin Lambert, Director of Equipment and Warranties at Groupe Robert.

That said, maintenance does not become trivial: it transforms. The main difference comes from the arrival of new critical blocks such as the batteries that power the electric motor, high-voltage equipment, power electronics and charging-related components. Where a diesel truck focuses maintenance on the engine and the truck’s mechanical components, the electric truck requires more diagnostics, data monitoring and safety protocols.

Some maintenance needs are also visible in use. Regenerative braking can reduce brake wear, while the instant torque of the electric motor can accelerate tire wear if driving is more aggressive, and properly aligned and correctly inflated tires are even more important to preserve the truck’s range. The basic habits of heavy transport therefore remain essential, as do operating practices, which continue to directly influence maintenance costs.

Another example of an element that requires greater attention on an electric truck is the need for regular, planned inspection of cables and connectors. This is recommended to prevent performance degradation, ensure safety and detect anomalies quickly before they lead to more costly interventions.

Electrical maintenance: what changes for teams, training and authorizations

One of the main adjustments concerns the qualification of interventions. The tools evolve: more diagnostic equipment, computers, software and error-reading interfaces, plus protective equipment suited for working in high-voltage environments.

“Some interventions require specific training or authorization, not because maintenance becomes more complex on a daily basis, but because work related to batteries, high-voltage cables or certain advanced diagnostics must comply with very strict safety procedures. That doesn’t mean a fleet must internalize everything, but rather that it must know how to access these expertises at the right time, with responsibilities and service agreements clearly established,” says Saad El Kassab, Electrification Project Manager at Nationex.

Parts and failures: anticipate to maintain availability

However, “when an issue affects an electronic component or a high-voltage system, repairs can indeed be more expensive and lead times sometimes longer, notably due to parts availability and the required level of specialization. That said, two traps should be avoided: dramatizing as if electric is intrinsically fragile, or conversely, ignoring the reality completely. The right stance is to acknowledge that there can be availability risks and to integrate them into planning,” explains Saad El Kassab, Electrification Project Manager.

Concretely, this involves the quality of agreements with partners, clarity of response times, identification of critical parts and internal organization. When a heavy truck is immobilized, the operational impact is significant. The maintenance strategy must therefore aim for continuity of operations, relying on rapid diagnostics, better anticipation of maintenance needs through data and procedures adapted to electric trucks.

For operators, the main objective remains operational continuity.

“The goal is to reduce risks and ensure that vehicles are available. It is therefore important to carefully check warranties and even, when possible, to negotiate an extended warranty,” explains Jean-François Brossard, Director of Energy Technologies and Innovations at Location Brossard.

The battery in the long term: understanding how it evolves

The battery is a central asset. It influences range, performance, vehicle availability and residual value. A degradation of around 1 to 2% of capacity per year is often mentioned, but this evolution depends heavily on usage, climatic conditions, charging profiles and operating habits.

“The issue is not only noticing battery degradation, but setting up simple, regular monitoring to support decision-making. From the vehicle’s commissioning, it is relevant to establish a baseline corresponding to the initial performance, then track over time indicators such as battery state of health, real in-service range, temperature management and charging habits,” says Kevin Lambert, Director of Equipment and Warranties at Groupe Robert.

Integrating this data into a dashboard facilitates anticipating operational adjustments and planning future steps, notably regarding warranty, replacement or second life, but also by reallocating the right truck to the right route if necessary. Battery warranties vary by manufacturer and contract, so it is essential to fully understand the associated obligations to maintain coverage.

In-house or outsourced maintenance: a structuring choice

The choice between in-house and outsourced maintenance is primarily a risk management decision. Internalizing generally allows better control and faster intervention, while outsourcing provides access to specialized expertise and allows sharing certain investments. In many cases, a hybrid approach is required: the internal team handles routine maintenance and first-level diagnostics, while more specialized interventions are entrusted to the dealer or manufacturer.

At Location Brossard, routine preventive maintenance — inspection of brakes, tires, suspension and regulatory checks — is carried out in-house. This approach allows better control of lead times and helps maintain vehicle availability, but it requires investment in training, particularly to enable mechanics to work safely with high-voltage systems.

Interventions related to systems under warranty or to electric propulsion are generally entrusted to the dealer and the manufacturer. This process can, however, result in immobilization periods of a few days while a diagnosis is obtained and the repair organized. To limit operational impacts, several companies plan continuity solutions in advance, such as access to a replacement vehicle.

Management software: an expanded role with electrification

In a diesel fleet, management software is mainly used to track vehicle usage and periodic maintenance. In an electric context, this logic evolves: energy, available power, charging windows and battery status become central parameters.

Software suited to heavy electric vehicles must integrate battery monitoring, charging management, mission planning according to range and charging point availability, as well as diagnostic and preventive maintenance functions. When well used, it can reduce energy costs, prevent certain operational errors and above all limit downtime through better visibility.

Charging stations: a key element of operational availability

Charging station maintenance is often underestimated, while an unavailable charger can make a truck unavailable as well. The most effective approach relies on two complementary levels: simple daily practices and planned maintenance.

On a daily basis, protecting the operation depends on basic actions: visual inspection, protection from the elements, good cable management and training of employees and drivers. A large share of failures is linked to misuse or progressive wear not detected in time.

Organizationally, it is recommended to keep a minimum of critical spare parts, such as replacement cables, to avoid prolonged delays. In more sensitive contexts, a backup solution (a priority service agreement with your supplier, a small additional charger, access to a public charger, access to a spare vehicle, etc.) can also limit emergency decisions.

Planned maintenance remains essential: annual checks by certified professionals and compliance with periodic requirements necessary to maintain warranties. Finally, compatibility issues between trucks and chargers, sometimes exacerbated by remote updates, underscore the importance of surrounding yourself with partners capable of coordinating interventions quickly and linking the different stakeholders.

In conclusion

Ensuring the management and maintenance of a fleet of electric trucks does not mean reinventing maintenance, but evolving it. The fundamentals of heavy transport remain, to which are added electrical and electronic aspects, digital tools and close coordination with the charging infrastructure.

Les organisations qui réussissent le mieux sont celles qui planifient tôt, structurent les rôles, sécurisent les garanties, exploitent les données et instaurent des pratiques simples mais constantes autour des bornes et pas seulement des camions. Dans ce contexte, l’électrification devient moins un pari technologique qu’un projet de gestion rigoureux et progressif.