###### Abstract  
The present work intends to make a scientific contribution to future drive technology in medium-duty road freight transportation that is as objective and fact-based as possible. In cooperation with a medium-sized forwarding company, 1-day transports, previously driven with diesel trucks, were examined. Using a physically based model, which was first validated by comparing simulated CNG drive data with real-world diesel data, the findings were transferred to battery electric trucks (BETs) and fuel cell trucks (FCETs) and extrapolated to 2050 based on expected technological developments. The model makes statements based on the results of the investigated application regarding specific consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, consumption shares and recuperation. The CNG combustion technology (ICET-CNG) serves as a reference. BETs in this application have the lowest emission and consumption values: BET2050 will consume a third of the energy and emit a fifth of the GHGs of ICET-CNG2024. The weight of the battery leads to higher consumption values. FCETs have higher fuel consumption due to their longer drive trains. This is partially compensated by their lower weight: FCET2050 will consume 40% of the energy and emit a third of the GHGs of ICET2024. In long-distance traffic, aerodynamic drag is the dominant consumption factor, accounting for 40%, which should be addressed in further truck development. Recuperation extends the range by 3-7%. [PERSON]; [PERSON] [PERSON]: [PERSON], [PERSON]: [PERSON]. The clear difference in the registration figures points to the discrepancy between aspiration (political objectives) and reality (availability of trucks, usability in operation). Even more than in passenger transport, a number of fundamental and existential questions arise for commercial freight transport in relation to new drive technologies, all the more so as the freight forwarding industry must contend with strict regulations from European governments:  
* What will be the costs of BETs and FCETs? * What ranges can be expected on different tours? * What additional weights will have to be taken into account for the battery? In contrast to the established internal-combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) technology, new drive technologies also raise questions for forwarders regarding the infrastructure at their sites/branches: can the required charging current or hydrogen be generated from renewable energies? Can this be carried out independent of time and season and in sufficient quantities? At locations with little wind, does the forwarding business have to be shifted to the night in order to be able to charge during the day? Further questions relate to the routes taken by the trucks: can the infrastructure along the highways be built quickly enough? What are the medium-term costs for electricity and hydrogen on the road? And so on. The scientific literature is very extensively devoted to the issues of battery-powered electric drive technology. In fact, there is a considerable need for research and development in this area, as the associated drivetrain is completely different from that used in combustion vehicles to date. The new technologies used in batteries (e.g., lithium-ion) and the most commonly used permanently energized electric drives (rare-earth magnets) receive the most attention, but the differences in the transmission train are also significant. Much more important for the transport and forwarding industry, however, is the lack of factual data. As already shown in Figure 1, there are hardly any BETs or FCETs on the road that can provide direct access to consumption and emission values. Little can be expected from manufacturers during this phase; they fear disclosing information to the competition at an early stage and therefore do not publish quantified results, compounded by the well-known fact that manufacturer data on vehicle consumption and GHG emissions can rarely be reproduced on the road [5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10].