Community Charging Hubs for Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicles

This white paper outlines the e-Embarque initiative, which aims to accelerate the electrification and decarbonization of heavy-duty electric vehicle fleets in the logistics sector. It discusses the current state of electric truck adoption, highlighting that many operators are still in early experimental stages with limited test vehicles. The paper emphasizes the importance of community and semi-public charging hubs as key enablers for transitioning from initial tests to large-scale operations. It details the necessity for a comprehensive charging infrastructure, as outlined by the German Council of Economic Experts, to achieve the ambitious goal of converting one-third of heavy-duty mileage to electric power by 2030. The document also addresses the operational specifics needed for community charging hubs, including dynamic reservation systems and the integration of charging during legally required breaks. Furthermore, it presents the complementary capabilities required from various market players to ensure the successful establishment of these hubs and their integration into electric truck operations.