The technology shift for road freight is in full swing, as charging infrastructure comes into focus as the key factor for success. With partners such as Milence and E.ON, and digital access via “Charge&Go”, MAN is building a European ecosystem to make the operation of electric goods vehicles reliable and economical. Part 4 in our series looks at how the parts of the infrastructure puzzle fit together.
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Anyone in the field of logistics who is embarking on the electrification of their fleet today is faced with a complex task. It’s no longer just about the vehicles themselves, but their interaction with the energy supply, time management and range. The chicken and egg problem of charging infrastructure – what comes first, the eTrucks or the charging points? – is being solved through massive investments and strong alliances. The aim is the seamless integration of charging into day-to-day logistics, enabling electric trucks to fully play to their strengths with calculable costs and maximum uptime.
Driver wellbeing is something that is very close to my heart. “
Milence: Quality without compromise
A key driver behind high-powered public charging is Milence, a joint venture between the TRATON GROUP, Daimler Truck and the Volvo Group. The consortium has identified that truck charging and car charging demand completely different approaches. Tim Baumeister of Milence explains the need for a specialist infrastructure: “A truck is not a car, starting right from the space you need. That’s why we’re not just building charging points – we’re building truck charging hubs, where a 40-tonne truck can simply pull in without unhitching its trailer. In logistics, the hardest currency is time, which is why we’re optimising every aspect of their stop.”
Milence is planning to have around 50 hubs offering 290 charging points by the end of 2026, rising to almost 90 hubs with more than 700 charging points by 2028. To achieve this, Milence already has its eye on the Megawatt Charging System (MCS), which will drastically reduce charging times. The focus will also be more firmly on the human aspect in the future: while the truck is charging, drivers should be able to spend their legally required rest breaks in an environment that values them for their work. “Driver wellbeing is something that is very close to my heart,” explained Baumeister. “Clean toilets and showers come as standard at our hubs, and some already offer lounges with great coffee. When charging is a minor detail because it comes with the right level of comfort, we have achieved our goal.”
E.ON: 330 Megawatt Charging Points in 55 Locations
Another key partner within the MAN network is E.ON. Their cooperation runs along two lines simultaneously. Firstly, the two companies are both working on the development of a public charging network: some 400 public charging points have been created at around 170 MAN service locations along key trunk routes. Adela Spulber, of the Truck Charging team at E.ON Drive Infrastructure, highlights their strategic positioning: “We are aiming to have a presence wherever eTrucks are – on the most important transport corridors and in strategic logistics areas.” These locations are equipped with rapid chargers offering up to 400 kW, which can provide an eTruck with enough power in just 45 minutes to cover around 300 kilometres.
What’s more, E.ON Drive Infrastructure is also behind the next leap in technology. As part of the EU-backed “HDV-E” project, the company is working with partners Voltix and GreenWay to build around 330 megawatt charging points at 55 locations in nine European countries by autumn 2028. The EU is supporting the scheme to the tune of €70.3 million. Each charging point will deliver at least a megawatt of power – enough to reduce the time needed to charge an electric HGV to the time it would take to fill up with diesel.
However, most eTruck journeys begin in their own depot. Ideally, a haulier will charge their own eTruck using their own electricity, generated from their own roof. There are end-to-end solutions to do this available on the market which go far beyond the simple installation of a wall charger, from photovoltaic systems to battery storage and intelligent load management.
At the end of the day, an eTruck has to be better than a diesel when it comes to charging too. “
MAN Charge&Go: the smart key
MAN has developed the “Charge&Go” service to save drivers and dispatchers from losing their way in a jungle of different charging cards and apps. Daniel Asch, responsible for this service, has a clear quality strategy. “It’s no good to a haulier if the network shows 800,000 charging points, but 99 per cent of them physically can’t accommodate a 40-tonne truck,” explains Asch. That’s why MAN Charge&Go classifies locations according to clear criteria in categories such as “eTruck Ready” or “eTruck Limited”, so that drivers and dispatchers can know even in the planning stage whether a location can be used without problems or whether they will need to unhitch, for example.
The aims of MAN Charge&Go are cost transparency and economy. “We’re negotiating hard with the operators on behalf of our customers to achieve the best possible prices per kilowatt-hour – keeping the overall cost well below that of a diesel truck,” explained Asch. “At the end of the day, an eTruck has to be better than a diesel when it comes to charging too.” Just one card gives today’s MAN customers access to a rapidly growing network of stations that can accommodate trucks throughout Europe. “We’re offering quality rather than quantity, so businesses can run smoothly,” said Asch.
The infrastructure is ready
The message from the experts is clear: the charging infrastructure for goods vehicles is no longer a distant idea, but a rapidly growing, real network. The combination of depot-based charging and a public charging network along main trunk routes ensures that the old issue of range is no longer a cause for concern. The switch to eTrucks is now a matter of economic sense, driven by factors such as the exemption from tolls in Germany until 2031, CO2 savings and the security of a reliable charging network.
The figures show that the switch has been in full swing for a while now. In Germany alone 109,000 fully electric trucks and transporters have already been registered, including almost 10,000 HGVs and tractor units over twelve tonnes. The course has been set – the electric future of logistics has already begun.
Text: Christian Buck
Fotos: MAN, Milence, E.ON
