Leading European truck manufacturers to create joint charging network

Europe’s three leading truck manufacturers -- Daimler Truck, the TRATON Group and the Volvo Group -- have joined forces to create a network of fast-charging stations for battery-electric heavy-duty vehicles. The companies aim to invest 500 million euros to install and operate at least 1,700 “high-performance green energy charging points” close to motorways as of 2022. “The number of charging points is with time intended to be increased significantly by seeking additional partners as well as public funding,” they say in a press release.

The planned 1,700 charging points are but a small step on the way to climate neutrality by 2050, writes Daniel Zwick in Welt Online. According to a forecast published by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), 10,000 to 15,000 charging points for trucks will have to be created in Europe by the middle of the decade alone. By 2030, this number will have to grow to 40,000 to 50,000, Zwick says. Unlike TRATON, Daimler and Volvo are also developing hydrogen-powered trucks, but it is not clear who will invest in the build-up of the hydrogen charging infrastructure needed for these vehicles, the author says.