Starting signal for the truck fast-charging network

Under the slogan ‘Power to the Road’, the Federal Minister Dr. Volker Wissing and Dr. Robert Habeck, together with the main network operators and the industry association BDEW, today officially launched the fast-charging network for trucks along federal motorways.

To achieve the climate protection goals in the transport sector and to enable the fast market ramp-up of heavy-duty commercial vehicles with battery-electric drives (e-trucks), a nationwide, demand-oriented and user-friendly charging infrastructure has to be established.

Dr. Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital and Transport: “An efficient charging infrastructure forms the backbone of tomorrow’s climate-friendly mobility and logistics. We are starting a mammoth project with this truck fast-charging network. The grid connection order is the first fundamental implementation step. It means we are creating planning security for the industrial and transport sectors and setting new supply standards in terms of charging capacity: charging in the megawatt range, directly on the motorway, will become the technical standard and part of everyday operation. Germany is once again proving itself in terms of its pioneering role for future-looking charging infrastructure policy.”

Dr. Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economics and Climate Protection: “We are now creating the conditions for the mobility transition to also spread to road freight transport. Our goal is to power trucks only with green electricity. There are good prerequisites for this, as more than half of the electricity is now generated from renewable sources. Today, it’s about distribution grids and charging stations. Everything must be advanced at the same time, so that the transport sector can make its contribution to climate protection.”

Kerstin Andreae, Chairwoman of the BDEW Executive Board: “We are delighted that the expansion of the e-trucks charging hubs along the motorway is finally starting. The earlier we are involved in the planning, the sooner we can implement the grid connections. The important point is that it is a joint project. It is critical that all participants now work together in a structured process. The aim is to find efficient implementation solutions for the roughly 350 locations and to plan these into the requirements of the overall local grid expansion from the outset.”

With the Charging Infrastructure Master Plan II, for the first time the federal government has adopted comprehensive measures for e-trucks as well to ensure the establishment of this charging infrastructure. This includes the construction of a fast-charging network for e-trucks along federal motorways in Germany. At around 350 selected serviced and non-serviced locations, fast-charging infrastructure is to be built that is compatible with trucks. This is essential for the decarbonisation of heavy goods transport and Germany as a business hub. For this two elements must intersect: the expansion of the distribution grid, triggered by applications for grid connection to the grid operator, and the construction of charging columns, initiated by funding tenders.

The publication of the tender for the approximately 130 unmanaged rest areas is planned for late summer, 2024. The government’s Autobahn GmbH, tasked by the BMDV to commission grid connections, is currently working intensively on the testing and implementation of the required infrastructure technology at the appropriate locations. Autobahn GmbH has already initiated grid connection orders for the first locations.

Photo:

From left to right:

1. Thomas Murche, WEMAG AG
2. Lutz Eckenroth, E.ON SE
3. Dr. Michael Günther, Autobahn des Bundes GmbH
4. Kerstin Andreae, BDEW
5. Christoph von Knobelsdorff, NOW GmbH
6. Dr. Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital and Transport
7. Torsten Maus, EWE Netz GmbH
8. Stefan Richter, E.ON SE
9. Dr. Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection
10. Johannes Pallasch, National Centre for Charging Infrastructure (NOW GmbH)
11. Martin Konermann, Netze BW GmbH

(Joint press release of the BMDV and BMWK)