A qualitative framework for market evaluation: Identifying key categories and factors for assessing market attractiveness and feasibility in the electrification of heavy-duty road freight
(2026) MIOM05 20261Department of Industrial and Mechanical Sciences
Production Management
- Abstract
- Background: Heavy‑duty road freight accounts for a significant share of global carbon emissions, yet the industry remains structurally inefficient, characterized by low margins and fragmented fleets. While electrification is essential for achieving climate targets, the transition introduces additional operational complexities, raising important concerns regarding profitability and scalability.
Purpose: To develop a qualitative market evaluation framework that identifies key categories and factors for evaluating market attractiveness and feasibility in the electrification of heavy-duty road freight.
Delimitations: This study focuses on fully electric heavy-duty trucks, thereby excluding hybrid solutions, alternative fuels, and... (More) - Background: Heavy‑duty road freight accounts for a significant share of global carbon emissions, yet the industry remains structurally inefficient, characterized by low margins and fragmented fleets. While electrification is essential for achieving climate targets, the transition introduces additional operational complexities, raising important concerns regarding profitability and scalability.
Purpose: To develop a qualitative market evaluation framework that identifies key categories and factors for evaluating market attractiveness and feasibility in the electrification of heavy-duty road freight.
Delimitations: This study focuses on fully electric heavy-duty trucks, thereby excluding hybrid solutions, alternative fuels, and autonomous vehicles. The primary objective is to develop a market evaluation framework, while its practical application is of secondary importance. Nevertheless, the framework was tested through a case study conducted with Partner Co. In doing so, the European market was central for the framework development and application.
Methodology: This study adopts a qualitative single-case methodology with Partner Co to enable a comprehensive, context-sensitive study under specific conditions. This approach facilitates the systematic identification of critical categories and factors that inform the framework. Further, the analysis is grounded in academic theory and empirical insights, ensuring grounded results.
Conclusion: This study develops a qualitative market evaluation framework for assessing the market attractiveness and feasibility in the electrification of heavy-duty road freight. By integrating academic market evaluation theory with empirical industry insights and a real-world case study, it demonstrates that traditional market evaluation frameworks must be adapted to account for the systemic and interdependent nature of the electric transition. These insights identified six key categories for market evaluation: aggregate market factors, transport operations, charging infrastructure, regulations, actors, and TCO.
For Partner Co, this study concludes that a dual-layered application is most effective: a narrow, quantitative framework application to support initial market screening and prioritisation, complemented by a broader, qualitative framework application to capture contextual depth. Ultimately, the study highlights that market attractiveness and feasibility in this industry - undergoing a technological transformation - is not only a technological question, but is equally dependent on e.g., regulatory conditions, and actor collaboration. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9242641
- author
- Löndahl, Ebba LU and Bergman, Anna LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- MIOM05 20261
- year
- 2026
- type
- M3 - Professional qualifications ( - 4 Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Case study, Digitalisation, Electrification, Heavy-duty road freight, Market evaluation framework, Technology innovation
- other publication id
- 26/5359
- language
- English
- id
- 9242641
- date added to LUP
- 2026-06-23 16:12:29
- date last changed
- 2026-06-23 16:12:29
@misc{9242641,
abstract = {{Background: Heavy‑duty road freight accounts for a significant share of global carbon emissions, yet the industry remains structurally inefficient, characterized by low margins and fragmented fleets. While electrification is essential for achieving climate targets, the transition introduces additional operational complexities, raising important concerns regarding profitability and scalability.
Purpose: To develop a qualitative market evaluation framework that identifies key categories and factors for evaluating market attractiveness and feasibility in the electrification of heavy-duty road freight.
Delimitations: This study focuses on fully electric heavy-duty trucks, thereby excluding hybrid solutions, alternative fuels, and autonomous vehicles. The primary objective is to develop a market evaluation framework, while its practical application is of secondary importance. Nevertheless, the framework was tested through a case study conducted with Partner Co. In doing so, the European market was central for the framework development and application.
Methodology: This study adopts a qualitative single-case methodology with Partner Co to enable a comprehensive, context-sensitive study under specific conditions. This approach facilitates the systematic identification of critical categories and factors that inform the framework. Further, the analysis is grounded in academic theory and empirical insights, ensuring grounded results.
Conclusion: This study develops a qualitative market evaluation framework for assessing the market attractiveness and feasibility in the electrification of heavy-duty road freight. By integrating academic market evaluation theory with empirical industry insights and a real-world case study, it demonstrates that traditional market evaluation frameworks must be adapted to account for the systemic and interdependent nature of the electric transition. These insights identified six key categories for market evaluation: aggregate market factors, transport operations, charging infrastructure, regulations, actors, and TCO.
For Partner Co, this study concludes that a dual-layered application is most effective: a narrow, quantitative framework application to support initial market screening and prioritisation, complemented by a broader, qualitative framework application to capture contextual depth. Ultimately, the study highlights that market attractiveness and feasibility in this industry - undergoing a technological transformation - is not only a technological question, but is equally dependent on e.g., regulatory conditions, and actor collaboration.}},
author = {{Löndahl, Ebba and Bergman, Anna}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{A qualitative framework for market evaluation: Identifying key categories and factors for assessing market attractiveness and feasibility in the electrification of heavy-duty road freight}},
year = {{2026}},
}