The network of chargers for trucks is a new challenge for Europe

The European Commission has ambitious plans to reduce CO2 emissions by 45% by 2030, 65% by 2035 and 90% by 2040. New EU regulations force the logistics industry to gradually switch to zero-emission transport. However, the goal will not be achieved without a network of chargers for trucks, and this may be a problem.

Forecasts by the International Energy Agency (IEA) assume that by 2030 the number of electric trucks (eHDV) on the European continent will increase more than 140 times. This means an increase from approx. 3.6 thousand. of this type of vehicles in 2022 to even 520,000. This revolution in transport will be of particular importance to Poland, as Polish carriers account for nearly 1/5 of all road transport in the EU, and our country has the largest fleet of trucks. Fulfilling the assumptions of the Fir for 55 program will be a considerable challenge for the EU countries. To illustrate the scale of the challenge facing Poland, it is enough to cite the fact reproduced in the media that by 2030 the Polish section of the TEN-T network should be equipped with charging hubs for eHDV with a total capacity of almost 580 MW, which is about 6 times greater than the total capacity of all national public stations at the end of 2022. At the same time, it should be added that the infrastructure for heavy goods vehicles in Poland practically does not exist. In the first half of 2023, not one of the 2,885 public charging stations for electric vehicles in Poland was intended for charging electric trucks. The only consolation is the fact that most European countries start from a similar level in this race. 

Alternative Fuels Infrastructure – EU plans

In July 2023, the Council of the European Union adopted the EU Regulation on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure (AFIR) whose main task is to provide infrastructure for zero-emission vehicles throughout the EU. The regulation will impose binding targets on Member States for the construction of infrastructure for electric cars and trucks which is a prerequisite for starting the process of decarbonising road transport.

The objectives contained in the regulation assume that from 2025 the TEN-T core network, i.e. the main EU motorways must be equipped with charging hubs with a capacity of min. 400 kW for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles located at intervals of up to 60 km (in both directions), and should be covered in 15% with 1,400 kW charging hubs for trucks (at a distance of up to 120 km, in both directions directions) along with the provision of 900 kW hubs in each urban area (424 urban nodes across the EU).

From 2027, charging hubs with a capacity of min. 300 kW for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles and min. 1400 kW for heavy goods vehicles is to be equipped with 50% of the TEN-T complementary network, so. the EU secondary motorway network. In addition, from 2027, the TEN-T core network should be covered by 50% with 2,800 kW charging hubs for trucks. 

The construction of the mandatory infrastructure should be completed by 2030, when the core network is to be covered in 100% with 3,600 kW charging hubs every 60 km in both directions, and the complementary network with 1,500 kW charging hubs every 100 km. Each urban node is to be equipped with a 1,800 kW charging hub. This means that from 2030 charging hubs for trucks will be available in every major city. A minimum of 4 charging points will be required at each designated “secure truck parking area”. In addition, all high-power charging stations (i.e. over 50 kW) located in the EU will have to allow card payments.

45% less CO2 by 2030 – is it possible?

In its March 2023 report, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) indicated that the new EU target: a 45% reduction of CO2 compared to the 2019/2020 baseline, would require over 400 vehicles to operate in European transport in less than seven years. 000 zero-emission vehicles, and nearly 100,000 zero-emission vehicles have been registered every year since 2030. This means that from 2030, more than a third of all new registrations would have to be for zero-emission vehicles. Such a fleet would require more than 50,000 publicly available charging stations, of which 35,000 would need to be models with high megawatt charging capacity. Around 700 hydrogen refueling stations would also be needed. ACEA also points out that currently almost no publicly available charging points or hydrogen refueling stations that would be suitable for trucks are in use. The lack of the required infrastructure for charging zero-emission vehicles and the lack of effective carbon tax measures, in the opinion of the Association, make even the earlier goal of reducing CO2 emissions in transport by 30% by 2030 unrealistic.

Investments in charging hubs for trucks – are there any volunteers?

Although the electric truck market in Poland is at an early stage of development (eHDV fleet of about 20 vehicles at the end of 2022), according to the report of the Polish Alternative Fuels Association “Polish EV Outlook 2023” it has the potential to grow up to 120 times by 2025. However, this requires the optimization of the law, the introduction of a comprehensive system of incentives, the expansion of the range of models offered and, most importantly, the development of a dedicated high-power charging infrastructure. The authors of the report state that taking into account the support of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management 48,000 public EV charging points may be built in our country by 2050. The potential of private infrastructure is estimated by PSPA at 85-110 thousand points.

There are already charger operators in Poland ready to take the risk and invest in a network of chargers for zero-emission trucks. The market leader, GreenWay Polska, has recently announced that it has obtained funding from the EU Connecting Europe Facility program and is working on launching 10 charging hubs for trucks, which are to be built by the end of 2025. According to the president of the company, this is a great opportunity for GreenWay Polska and a big leap in the development of Polish electromobility because charging trucks is the future of the industry. It is estimated that over the next 10 years, the demand for charging services for zero-emission trucks will be greater than the demand from passenger car users. The interest from the industry is huge. The industry is aware that the future of logistics companies is based on zero-emission vehicles, and Poland, in order to maintain its leading position on the market, cannot afford to lag behind the competition.