As businesses around the world chase ambitious CO2 reduction targets, the demand for electric heavy-duty trucks rises. All major manufacturers of commercial vehicles have announced battery-electric series models in the coming years. But when it comes to establishing the corresponding charging infrastructure, there are still open questions. What does a demand-oriented and user-friendly charging infrastructure look like?

To answer this question, Germany has just launched a project to build a nationwide fast-charging network for heavy-duty vehicles. The initiative’s goal is to create a network of 350 fast-charging sites covering about 95% of Germany's federal highways. However, the demand modeling carried out to identify ideal charging locations is based on current data on commercial vehicle traffic and the market ramp-up figures from cleanroom discussions with vehicle manufacturers. However, current data is mostly coming from diesel-based operations, which can lead to problems. To achieve the best utilization of charging infrastructure, it must be planned for current and future transportation routes based on electric vehicles’ needs. Day-to-day operations can look quite different with different technologies.

From diesel to electric: understanding operational differences

Similarly to the planning of diesel-powered transport, the planning of electric transport must adhere to the existing constraints such as delivery windows, shift lengths and driver rest regulations. In addition to these, electric transport planning involves different factors like the range of the vehicle and charging. Operating electric fleets is different from diesel trucks.

If planned badly, charging can be an efficiency constraint. Powering an electric truck can take considerably more time than fueling a diesel one, especially if high-capacity batteries are involved. This extended downtime requires careful planning to integrate charging periods with mandatory driver breaks and loading and unloading times – a process that is smoother with the support of digital intelligence and machine learning models.

Planning infrastructure for demand-oriented charging

Considering the differences between diesel and electric operations, what would the demand-oriented infrastructure planning require?

One central aspect is route optimization to account for each vehicle’s battery range and shipment needs. Planners need to consider these factors when designing routes and schedules. This means that depending on weight and energy consumption, a route that previously included long stretches without stopping might need to be broken up into segments with strategically placed charging stations.

To minimize downtime, charging needs to be integrated with mandatory driver breaks and loading and unloading periods. Trucks can be charged on-site while they get loaded or unloaded but to align charging with driver breaks, the charging stations need to be located at places that can realistically be reached within one driver's shift.

This raises another question: where can drivers spend their break and rest, if not at a rest area? “In an ideal case, charging sites are separate from passenger vehicle areas like rest areas,” says Andreas Sommer, Charging Development Manager DACH & UAE at Einride “With the current lack of specific truck charging infrastructure, we repeatedly see that tractor units have to be separated from the trailer and the driver then drives the tractor unit to the available car charging station. Although this is technically possible, it poses a safety risk. Imagine a maneuvering truck tractor in the middle of the vacation time at a motorway rest area.”

Another relevant aspect is the local electrical grid. High-power charging stations require significant amounts of electricity, which could strain the grid if not properly managed. Planners must ensure that the electrical grid can handle the increased load, for example by incorporating energy storage systems to manage peak demand. Integrating renewable energy sources, such as on-site solar panels, is another way to help alleviate some of this strain while simultaneously making charging infrastructure more sustainable.

The challenge of economic charging

Currently, en route charging is significantly more expensive than charging on-site on company ground. Planning charging infrastructure that enables an electric transport transformation does not only mean planning within the constraints of technical limitations, driver schedules and grid capacity, but also considering charging costs. With high energy prices and high purchase costs of electric vehicles, it is crucial that electric transport is cost-competitive.

Digital intelligence can optimize routes and processes to increase vehicle utilization. It can also determine the optimal charging amount, called State of Charge (SoC), which can significantly enhance battery lifespan while saving costs related to electricity usage and charging infrastructure, and ultimately reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO). But there is still opportunity for solutions that reduce the charging infrastructure provider's costs for creating the infrastructure in order to lower the prices for charging en route. “This is where policymakers need to come up with solutions, given the ambitious climate goals in many countries,” says Andreas Sommer. “In the case of subsidy payments, it should be ensured that they have an impact on prices. Another way to bring down costs for the providers is to make land available to them free of charge.”

How Einride builds a future-proof charging ecosystem

When customers begin their transformation journey, we take a holistic view of the entire transport ecosystem, considering their entire network’s specific needs.

“We are already planning with the future in mind, taking into consideration the gradual build-up of the charging network, looking at future hardware, allowing several vehicles to share the same charging outlets, optimizing grid availability with smart charging infrastructure, predicting energy consumption based on our data-models, and allowing several charging sessions within the same tour,” explains Robert Ziegler, General Manager EMEA at Einride.

This approach allows Einride to integrate charging seamlessly in a future-proof and cost-efficient transport ecosystem that is built for tomorrow’s transportation routes.