Industry Insight: A positive approach will drive the electric transformation

Daimler Truck UK eConsultancy Manager Ibrahim Kraria shares his thoughts on the need for more public charging infrastructure for electric trucks.

Q. The consensus of opinion in the industry seems to be that a significant increase in the UK’s public EV charging network is crucial, to help encourage transport operators make the switch to electric trucks. Do you agree?

A. “Yes of course, but the real answer is not that simple. We don’t just need more – we need the right kind of chargers, in the right places.” 

Q. What do you mean by ‘the right kind of chargers’?

A. “Firstly, we believe it’s vital to have charge points dedicated to HGV users – partly so that truck operators are not competing with private car users to use the same outlets, but also because the needs of the two sectors are different.”

Q. So what are the specific needs of electric truck customers?

A. “The two most important factors can be summed up as power and position. To be really effective, chargers need to be on hand where operators need them and offer enough capacity for rapid recharging.”

Q. Explain why the location of chargers is so crucial?

A. “Key to making battery-powered trucks a practical option for UK transport is the potential to build charging top-up time into daily work patterns – with vehicles being plugged in while they’re already stationary, rather than making extra stops to charge. In an ideal world operators would be able to plug in at their own depots, at delivery sites and at strategic points on the road network, to charge as they go or during mandatory driver breaks.”

Q. And what about the required charging power?

A. “High powered and megawatt charging systems are incredibly effective for electric HGVs and allow battery top-ups to be perfectly integrated with mandatory driver breaks, which really does make perfect sense. Our new eActros 600 model, for example, has the capacity to travel 500km on a single charge but the vehicle’s megawatt charging capability means that with the right infrastructure, its batteries could be topped up from 20% to 80% in just 30 minutes. If that is timed to coincide with the driver’s statutory break, the truck could cover 1,000km in a day with no enforced fuel stops.

“Many of our customers plan to have depot charging facilities available, but better public infrastructure – the right charging points, in the right places – will help us continue to build confidence and enable the switch to sustainable transportation.”

Q. What other factors need to be taken into account?

A. “Cost is another important consideration. In addition to the technical and power needs, public charging should be cost competitive. It also needs to work intelligently – for example, allowing drivers to pre-book and view availability of the network in advance of their journey as well as having an easy payment process. All these issues need to be considered when designing a charging network that will allow operators to run electric trucks at maximum efficiency – and to encourage people to make the switch.”

Q. What are manufacturers like Daimler Truck UK doing to help?

A. “While Governments have a role to play, so does the private sector. At Daimler Truck we’re very proud of our joint venture, Milence, with Volvo Group and Traton Group that will see us take a lead in building public charging hubs across Europe. We will see the first UK Milence facility opening in Immingham later this year. We welcome other companies also taking part in their own initiatives.

“Crucial to help give operators confidence that electric trucks can work successfully in the real world, is the opportunity to see them out and about on the road, covering the distances and hauling the weights that are typical in the life of a working vehicle.

“Daimler Truck is again playing its part. Fresh from its UK debut at the recent Road Transport Expo event, an eActros 600 tractor unit has recently taken part in the annual EV Rally event – this saw battery-powered vehicles across a range of types and sizes travel around the UK in a concrete demonstration of their capabilities. Hauling a standard road trailer at a gross vehicle weight of 40 tonnes, the eActros covered 1,400 miles across five days.

“When it comes to new technologies, seeing is believing – events like the EV Rally allow us to demonstrate the true capabilities of our electric HGVs. We understand this builds confidence in the switch to e-mobility. Together we have one planet and share the same goal – whether we’re talking about trucks, vans, cars or any other type of vehicle. We’re all aware that sustainable transportation is the future, and Daimler Truck is in a great position to lead in this area. In 2039, we plan for our entire model range to consist of zero emissions vehicles, and will achieve this through a dual strategy that considers electric and hydrogen (both combustion and fuel cell).”

Images courtesy of Daimler Truck UK.