One of the most common objections to battery-electric trucks is charging infrastructure. Long-haul electrification, the argument goes, would require huge charging parks everywhere and grid reinforcement across the board, so hydrogen or e-fuels must remain essential. A new report from Fraunhofer ISI and the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) suggests otherwise.
Demand clusters in a few places
Using their new VESUVIO model, the researchers mapped where and when electric trucks are likely to charge across the EU-27, the UK, Norway and Switzerland through 2045. Their grid has cells of roughly 17 by 20 kilometers, and they modeled demand in 15-minute intervals. With supportive policies, annual charging demand is projected to reach around 100 TWh by 2035 and 200 TWh by 2045.
That demand is far from evenly spread. In many countries, just 1 percent of regions account for a quarter to a third of all energy used for charging. The top 10 percent cover 60 to 90 percent of national demand. Motorway corridors, major logistics hubs and industrial zones dominate the map.
The depot is the backbone
For fleet operators, the key finding is where the energy comes from. In most countries and scenarios, depot charging delivers more than 70 to 80 percent of total charging energy. That puts both the responsibility and the opportunity with companies themselves. Weak local grid connections are a real constraint. Even so, battery storage and smart load management already make depot charging workable in most cases.
Fast and megawatt chargers on the road remain essential for long-haul transport. In some smaller transit countries, public charging accounts for 30 to 50 percent of demand. Public charging is the complement to the depot, not the foundation.
Not trivial, but targeted
None of this makes the rollout easy or cheap. At the busiest locations, the researchers expect peak loads of 20 to 50 MW. Connections of that size require major investment and early grid planning. The difference is that investment can go to the nodes where freight actually moves, instead of upgrading the grid everywhere. Large clusters are feasible: in Kamen, Germany, more than 100 fast-charging car chargers already operate in a small area.
What this means for hydrogen and e-fuels
This weakens a frequently used argument against battery-electric trucks. Hydrogen trucks need their own chain for production, transport, storage and refueling. E-fuels can use existing filling stations, but they lose a lot of energy when made from renewable power, and trucks running on them still emit noise and pollutants. Earlier studies already found battery-electric trucks to be the most efficient and, over time, most economical option for many applications. This report strengthens that view.
What to do now
For transport managers, the message is practical: start with your depot. Assess your grid connection, contact your network operator early, and look at storage and load management. Then map your routes against the emerging corridor hubs. Charging infrastructure is becoming a question of the right locations and timely grid connections rather than an impossible barrier.
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