Taking Charge
Addressing diverse customer needs
Connect, charge, cruise on: For electric long-haul trucks that are frequently in use, easy fueling is crucial. Not all charging stations are built equally, however. The TRATON GROUP is working with its brands and partners to develop innovative, customized solutions that will address these diverse needs and advance the charging infrastructure.
“Charging infrastructure is make or break for the success of electric trucks,” says Andreas Kammel, Vice President Alternative Drivetrains in the TRATON GROUP. By 2030, the CO2 emissions of heavy-duty trucks and coaches will need to drop by 43% according to EU regulations. The TRATON GROUP wants half of the new vehicles it sells within the same time period to be electrically powered. Meeting both these goals will require a comprehensive, powerful charging infrastructure, which does not yet exist. To advance this transformation and support customers in transitioning to e-mobility, the TRATON GROUP is developing solutions that address the various charging needs of electric trucks.
Andreas Kammel
“Charging infrastructure is make or break for the success of electric trucks.”
Role: Vice President Alternative Drivetrains at the TRATON GROUP
Charging options for electric trucks
Public charging
In contrast, private charging usually takes place in depots. Another difference is in the charging speed. “If you’re charging somewhere along a highway, you generally want it to be quick,” explains Kammel. In the coming years, the goal is to establish the Megawatt Charging System (MCS) as standard. The standard allows for up to
3.75 megawatts, but even at 800 kilowatts to 1.2 megawatts, it is possible to quickly cover the high energy demand of electric trucks. Long-haul drivers can take their legally required breaks in that time, charging their own batteries while their vehicle charges. For longer stops, like overnight, even the lower-powered 100-kilowatt version suffices, provided by the somewhat slower Combined Charging System (CCS).
Depot charging
In this scenario, vehicles are charged in a central location such as a company campus or a distribution center. This generally takes place overnight or during non-peak periods — certain times defined by the energy provider during which electricity costs less. There is also destination charging, which is a rapid private charging option. “During unloading and loading,” explains Kammel, “the vehicle often sits at the destination for an hour or more and can use that time to charge before it has to get back on the road.”
“We’re seeing a promising development in public charging points, with thousands of fast chargers already announced. That’s not enough yet, but it’s a clear step in the right direction if all of them are really put in place,” Kammel says. “There’s even more catching up to do when it comes to private depots, though.” That is why the TRATON GROUP supports private charging options as well as the expansion of the public charging network.
Finding solutions together
To cater to these different needs, the TRATON GROUP is working with its brands Scania, MAN, International, and Volkswagen Truck & Bus to develop innovative services, and is entering into select partnerships as well.
The partnerships benefit both the Group and its customers. “Our customers benefit from attractive charging offers and can gain early insights into what it’s like to use electric vehicles,” Kammel concludes.
“On the other hand, there are lessons to be learned here for TRATON, as well as from every partnership, that it can then apply to future projects.”
