A new study by Fraunhofer ISI and ICCT provides valuable information on the demand for electric truck charging in Europe. According to this data, heavy vehicle electrification is poised to place a significant burden on power grids.

With the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, the power requirements of the logistics sector will increase exponentially over the next twenty years. The results of the study clearly show that the power infrastructure must adapt to this change.

Logistics centers and charging infrastructure

According to the study, the annual electricity requirement for charging electric trucks in Europe will reach approximately 100 TWh in 2035. By 2045, this figure is expected to rise to 200 TWh.

A large part of the demand will be concentrated in certain logistics centers and main transport routes. This situation necessitates increasing the capacity of electricity grids in the regions in question.

Germany, France, England, Spain, and Italy are among the countries where demand will be highest due to their high volume of freight transportation. When other electrification scenarios are examined, it is seen that the 2045 estimates vary between 70 TWh and over 200 TWh.

Another noteworthy finding of the research concerns where charging processes will take place. More than 70 to 80 percent of the total charging requirements of electric trucks will be met from depot charging in many countries.

For this reason, logistics facilities where vehicles are parked and loading/unloading processes are carried out will form the basis of the charging infrastructure. However, public charging stations will continue to retain their value in long-haul freight.

It is stated that in some small countries with high transit traffic, the share of public charging in total demand could reach 30 to 50 percent. The geographically unstable distribution of this demand will create a high power demand in the main freight corridors.

In large freight markets, it is predicted that instantaneous electricity demand of 20 to 50 MW may occur in some regions. This situation requires making power management systems more efficient.

Investments in Germany and Europe

Germany is among the countries best prepared for this high demand. The country plans to install thousands of fast charging points at highway rest areas by 2035.

The state-supported network aims to reach approximately 1,800 MCS and 2,400 CCS charging points. In line with the increase in demand, plans include expanding these stations in the coming period.

Private companies have also directed their investments towards major transportation corridors. The goal is to expand megawatt-level charging systems along these routes.

Milence, a joint venture of Daimler Truck, Traton, and Volvo Group, operates approximately 40 charging stations in Europe. The company aims to increase this number to 70 by the end of 2027.

Milence also uses stationary battery storage systems in some facilities to support high charging power. These technological solutions help balance the load on the grid.

These infrastructure projects across Europe will directly impact the electrification process of the logistics sector. What do you think is the biggest obstacle to the widespread adoption of electric trucks?