Truck manufacturers are not yet experiencing a boom like that of electric cars. This is mainly due to the lack of models, the lack of suitability for everyday use and the high prices. But the lack of charging infrastructure is also holding them back, something the EU wants to change.
All major roads in the European Union must be equipped with charging infrastructure for electric trucks by 2030.
The transport ministers of the European Union states agreed on it at the beginning of June. Hydrogen filling stations will also be built along these routes .
The European Union has a goal of being climate neutral by 2050.
According to the EU states, the transport sector is currently responsible for more than a quarter of the EU’s emissions.
The main players in the sector have long campaigned for the creation of a network of electric charging stations also for large commercial vehicles. Large trucks and buses are often unable to dock at car charging stations just for space reasons, but more powerful chargers are also needed.
The industry is already driving the technology for practical truck loading. For example, a consortium with partners from industry and research is planning the first demonstration route for ‘megawatt charging’ along Germany’s A2 motorway. The goal of the “High-Performance Freight in Long-Distance Truck Transport” (HoLa) project, officially launched in 2021, is to obtain information for a standardized expansion of “high-performance freight parks” for trucks in the Federal Republic German.
The HoLa project involves, among others, the four truck manufacturers Daimler Truck, the MAN and Scania brands, which belong to the Volkswagen Traton Group, and Volvo. Its objective is the establishment and operation of a high-performance public recharging network for long-distance battery-powered heavy trucks and coaches in Europe.
