As it stands today, most owners of heavy electric trucks need to rely on charging equipment installed on their own premises, which limits their range. And while it is theoretically possible to charge an electric truck at a passenger car charging station, in most instances the physical layout of the station, such as parking spaces and fixed structures, make this impossible.
The reality is that if electric trucks are to scale up as much as needed to make a difference to climate change, a much larger network of charging stations will be required. The good news is that this is starting to happen with Europe in a leading position. The first public charging station for heavy-duty vehicles was opened in Gothenburg in 2021, with plans to open three more. Fuel station chain Circle K also plans to open the a public charging station for electric heavy-duty trucks, which is expected to be operational in 2022.
In July 2021, Volvo Group signed a non-binding agreement to establish a joint venture for building a public charging network for battery electric heavy-duty long-haul trucks and coaches across Europe. Together the parties involved intend to invest 500 million Euros to install and operate at least 1,700 high-performance green energy charging points within five years from the establishment of the joint venture.
“We’ve seen a big shift in just the last two years, where many charging providers who were not willing to discuss charging stations for trucks are now really enthusiastic about the idea,” says Magnus Broback, Charging Systems Director, Volvo Trucks. “This is because until recently there was no business case for it. But now that we’re seeing more electric trucks on the road, it makes sense that we should start investing in charging networks.”
Public-private collaboration
There is also a strong push from the public sector in Europe as well. The EU’s ‘Fit for 55’ package of proposed legislation, which aims to reduce carbon emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030, includes charging networks within its scope. The EU has for example presented a proposal for an Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), which will put greater demands on member states to invest in charging infrastructure. The new General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) will also make it easier for national governments to invest in public charging infrastructure.
“There is enough push from the private sector to ensure that the shift to electromobility will happen regardless,” says Broback, “But public support, through regulations and state subsidies, will ensure the transformation happens much faster. And this is vital because with climate change, we cannot wait another 15 years.”
Meanwhile, the public charging infrastructure for passenger cars continues to grow and despite concerns about the capacity of electric grids, the impact on electric trucks will be positive. After all, both use the same CCS2 standard for charging up to 350 kilowatts – the key difference being that trucks require high voltage (500-750 volts), which all new charging stations can provide. Otherwise the only limitation preventing trucks from using car charging stations is the physical space around the charger.
“The two charging networks are more in synergy than in competition,” explains Broback. “The passenger car network helps to create a similar ecosystem, which provides economies of scale, better knowledge of the technologies as well as business models.”
And as for exceeding the capacity of power grids? “That will no doubt be an issue in some places, but it’s solvable. After all, as a society we have been working with electric grids in over a century. It’s clear we will have to start preparing and expanding the network – as we have been doing for over 100 years – that is a challenge we can definitely overcome.”
Knowing how much energy you need, as well as when and where you can recharge a vehicle are all important considerations when it comes to route planning. But with the right charging strategy, your electric vehicle can have the same productivity as a conventional truck.
Initially, most electric trucks will need to be charged overnight at their home depot. Using an AC On-board charger (43 kW) it will take around ten hours to charge the battery from empty to full. Using a DC charger (max 250 kW) this can be reduced to just two hours. If high power charging is used it will most likely be for short periods of time to ensure you get sufficient energy onboard to complete your transport assignment. Therefore, the easiest routes to cover with an electric vehicle are those that do not require high energy demands or long distances.
“For example, if you are running refuse vehicles that only operate for a few hours a day at low speeds, then overnight charging is probably sufficient,” says Henrik Engdahl, business development Director, Volvo Trucks. “But if you’re in regional transportation, where you have longer distances to cover, then you may need to find charging opportunities along your route.”
For example, if a truck regularly commutes between two set depots within 300 km, a charging station at each should be enough to make 24/7 electric vehicle operation possible.
A similar set-up is currently being trialled by DHL. Another option for increasing an electric truck’s range is to combine AD and DC charging. For example, by utilising AC charging overnight and DC charging in the middle of the day during the driver’s break, an electric truck could cover longer distances.
Investment in public charging infrastructure – from both the public and private sector – is increasing charging infrastructure in Europe at least.
In the coming years, we will see more charging stations made available to truck drivers. We will also see more chargers installed in areas where trucks are often stationary – for example, loading bays and truck stops. In July 2021, the Volvo Group announced its intention to be part of a joint venture, which aims to install and operate at least 1700 charging points within five years.
“Top-up charging is a great solution for extending an electric truck’s range where the vehicle needs to stop anyway – for loading, unloading, driver rests and so on – since you’re not compromising productivity or uptime,” says Engdahl.
In the coming years, as the technology continues to improve to allow for faster charging and charging stations become more common, incorporating charging opportunities in route planning will become easier.
Lars Mårtensson, Environment and Innovation director at Volvo Trucks, also takes positives from several trends in the ownership of trucks which will lead to greater adoption. For one, the cost of owning an electric vehicle is going down.
“Although an electric truck has a higher sticker price than a conventional vehicle today, the low number of moving parts in an electric engine means they often have longer lifecycles and need less maintenance,” says Lars Mårtensson. “Meanwhile, the price of batteries is decreasing at a rate that’s outpacing most analysts’ expectations. Ongoing investment in the renewable energy sector is bringing down costs of generating electricity to the point where running a truck on electricity will be a fraction of the cost of diesel.”
As demand for electric vehicles has shot up, battery innovation is also accelerating. Lighter, lithium-ion batteries are about a third of the weight and half of the volume when compared to lead-acid.
Lars Mårtensson adds: “And they are becoming even lighter and more powerful as the tech improves. Even more, gains could be made with the next generation of batteries, known as solid-state batteries. These charge faster, are safer and deliver up to twice the battery density of today’s lithium-ion batteries, which could potentially double the range.”
Importantly, Mårtensson believes that a lack of charging infrastructure is being addressed.
“Today, charging an electric truck for shorter-range tasks can be easily done overnight. While the infrastructure for fast-charging trucks is still small, it is expanding as cities, logistics centers, automakers, and gas stations look to cater to an emerging demand. And new technologies including smart chargers and smart batteries are making ultra-fast charging possible under a broader range of conditions. New discoveries are also demonstrating that charging speeds will be increased drastically by improvements of lithium-ion batteries.
“As the price of electric vehicles goes down, choosing electric could become more than a question of sustainability and cost. Electric trucks are also proving popular with drivers because they generate fewer vibrations than traditional diesel vehicles. They are easier to maneuver and park, making them well-suited to urban driving and deliveries. As a low-carbon option with no tailpipe emissions, electric trucks are proving popular with companies that want to operate more sustainably.
He concludes: “The switch to electric vehicles could go faster than many have anticipated. At least, there are many signs indicating this development. And electric trucks are already rolling on our streets in real operation.”
