Photo: E.ON
With the award of one lot in Germany’s national truck charging infrastructure programme, E.ON and Tank & Rast are taking a major step toward the electrification of heavy-duty transport in Germany. A total of 195 charging points will be installed at 24 locations along key motorway corridors. The first site is scheduled to go into operation from 2027.
The project is part of the federally supported Deutschlandnetz tender for charging infrastructure for heavy electric commercial vehicles. Its aim is to create a high-performance charging network along Germany’s federal motorways, enabling electric trucks to be charged reliably, quickly and economically even on long-distance routes.
Megawatt charging as a key enabler for electric long-haul transport
At the heart of the project is the systematic expansion of megawatt charging infrastructure. Of the total 195 charging points, 101 will be equipped with the Megawatt Charging System, or MCS. This will make the project one of the first large-scale public applications of this technology in Germany.
In heavy-duty transport, charging time is a decisive economic factor. Megawatt charging makes it possible to provide large amounts of energy in a short time and to integrate charging processes more effectively into existing driving and rest periods. For logistics companies and fleet operators, this could become an important step toward making electric long-haul transport more practical.
Timo Sillober, CEO of E.ON Drive Infrastructure, says: “The electrification of passenger cars has shown: once the infrastructure is in place, the market follows. With electric trucks, we are building exactly this foundation. As a pan-European operator in eleven countries, we bring the experience and the network. From 2027, we will expand our truck charging network along central motorway corridors in Germany, with the right charging capacity for every operational scenario.”
Charging infrastructure for different operational needs
The megawatt charging infrastructure will be complemented by 32 CCS charging points with 400 kW for flexible intermediate charging during shorter stops, as well as 62 CCS charging points with 150 kW for longer dwell times and overnight charging. With this approach, E.ON and Tank & Rast are pursuing an integrated concept that is more closely aligned with the real-world operating profiles of freight transport.
While ultra-fast charging points are designed to enable short stops on the road, the additional charging capacities provide economical solutions for planned breaks, rest periods and overnight charging. In addition to the charging points themselves, the project also includes grid connections, transformer stations, IT integration and reservation systems.
The awarded lot will be implemented jointly by E.ON and Tank & Rast. Both partners will each be responsible for half of the 24 sites, combining their respective strengths: Tank & Rast contributes its expertise in operating and integrating transport infrastructure, while E.ON brings its experience in planning, building and operating fast-charging infrastructure at scale.
Peter Markus Löw, CEO of the Tank & Rast Group, says: “Electric heavy-duty transport needs a charging network that covers different requirements along and around motorways. Our truck stops are already an important building block today. Together with E.ON, we are now complementing this infrastructure with charging points at further suitable parking and rest locations in the motorway network. Step by step, this will create a denser offering for the logistics of the future.”
With this project, electric long-distance transport on German motorways is moving an important step closer to everyday reality. For the successful ramp-up of electric trucks, powerful vehicles alone will not be enough: what is needed above all is charging infrastructure that meets the demands of day-to-day logistics operations.
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