A number of leading European commercial vehicle manufacturers have signed a non-binding agreement to install and operate a public charging network for battery electric, heavy-duty, long-haul trucks and coaches across Europe.
The agreement lays the foundation for a future joint venture (JV) – equally owned by the the Traton Group with its brands Scania and MAN, as well as Daimler Truck and Volvo Group.
The commercial vehicle partners will together invest €500 million to install and operate at least 1,700 high-performance green energy charging points close to highways as well as at logistic and destination points, within five years from the establishment of the JV.
With time, plans are to increase the number of charging points significantly, by seeking additional partners as well as public funding. The future joint venture is planned to operate under its own corporate identity and be based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
The joint action addresses the urgent need for a high-performance charging network to support truck operators with their transition to CO₂-neutral transport solutions, especially in heavy-duty long-distance trucking. High-performance charging infrastructure enabling long-haul trucking is a cost-efficient way towards significant, fast-to-realise emission reductions.
“For the Traton Group, it is clear that the future of transport is electric,” commented Matthias Gründler, CEO Traton Group. “This requires the rapid development of publicly accessible charging points, especially for long-distance heavy-duty transport.
“We now make the first step to accelerate the transition towards sustainable, fossil-free transport. The second step should be a strong engagement of the EU for the full scale-up of a charging network across Europe.”
As a clear signal towards all stakeholders, the charging network will be open and the charging points will be compatible with all commercial vehicles in Europe, regardless of brand.
