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The Volvo Group, Daimler Trucks and Traton, the three largest European truck manufacturers, plan to deploy an ultra-fast charging network dedicated to transport vehicles and coaches to accelerate their transition to the electric age.
The groups announced Monday a joint venture that will invest 500 million euros in 1,700 shippers and will aim to attract public funding for the project. The transport industry estimates that it will need 50,000 chargers across Europe by 2030.
Last year, Europe’s six largest truck manufacturers pledged to eliminate polluting diesel models from their lineup by 2040, but the challenges of decarbonizing the heaviest vehicles on the roads are significant.
The weight of vehicles and the distances traveled require them to carry a large number of batteries, or to recharge more often. This poses challenges for a logistics and transportation industry that relies on minimizing downtime and operating costs.
Some parts of the industry rely on hydrogen technology, which offers greater distances between refueling than battery power. But much of the industry also expects to embrace battery technology.
Charging points supported by Daimler Trucks, Volvo Group and Traton – the owner of Scania and VW backed Man – will be close to highways and destination centers. The companies aim to have the sites ready by 2027.
The deal echoes a deal that has seen several automakers, including VW, BMW, Daimler and Ford, team up to invest in super-fast charging stations for cars across Europe, called Ionity.
Truck makers said on Monday there was an “urgent need for a high-performance charging network to support truck operators.”
ACEA, the European industry lobby group, estimates that 50,000 high-performance chargers will be needed just for heavy-duty vehicles by the end of the decade.
“It is the common goal of European truck manufacturers to achieve climate neutrality by 2050,” said Martin Daum, Managing Director of Daimler Truck. “However, it is essential that building the right infrastructure goes hand in hand with putting CO2-neutral trucks on the road.
“The second step should be a strong EU commitment to fully scale up a charging network across Europe,” he added.
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