Daimler Truck, TRATON GROUP and Volvo Group Plan Charging Network

The three leading commercial vehicle manufacturers Daimler Truck, the TRATON GROUP, and the Volvo Group have signed a letter of intent to establish and operate a public high-performance charging network for battery-electric heavy-duty long-haul trucks and coaches in Europe. The parties aim to initiate and significantly accelerate the development of publicly accessible charging infrastructure.

(Stuttgart/Munich/Gothenburg) With this alliance, the three market leaders aim to strengthen customer confidence in electrification and contribute to a climate-neutral transportation system in the EU.

The agreement serves as the basis for the establishment of a future joint venture, which will be equally owned by the three parties. The operational launch of the joint venture is planned for 2022. The parties intend to initially invest a total of 500 million euros to establish at least 1,700 high-performance charging points within five years of the joint venture’s founding, located near highways, logistics hubs, and unloading points. The charging points will be powered by green electricity. Additional partners and public funding are expected to significantly increase the number of charging points further. The planned joint venture will be based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and will operate independently. It can build on the extensive experience and knowledge of the founding companies in the field of heavy trucks.

Paving the Way for the Implementation of the EU Green Deal

The parties aim to prepare the way for the implementation of the European Union’s Green Deal for climate-neutral freight transport by 2050: on one hand, by providing the necessary infrastructure, and on the other hand, by focusing on green electricity at the charging points. Daimler Truck, the TRATON GROUP, and the Volvo Group address the urgently needed establishment of a high-performance charging network to support fleet operators in transitioning to CO₂-neutral transport solutions – particularly in long-haul transport. A high-performance charging infrastructure for long-distance transport represents an economically sensible way to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions in a short time.

Martin Daum, CEO of Daimler Truck: “European truck manufacturers share the common goal of being climate-neutral by 2050. However, to achieve this, it is essential that the development of the right infrastructure goes hand in hand with the introduction of CO₂-neutral trucks. Therefore, we are very pleased to take this groundbreaking step towards establishing a Europe-wide high-performance charging network together with our partners TRATON GROUP and Volvo Group.”

Statements from the Participants

Matthias Gründler, CEO of TRATON GROUP: “For the TRATON GROUP, it is clear that the future of transport is electric. This requires the rapid expansion of publicly accessible charging points, especially for heavy long-distance transport. Together with our partners Daimler Truck and Volvo Group, we want to implement this powerful charging network as quickly as possible. We are now taking the first step to accelerate the transition to sustainable transport without fossil fuels. The second step should be a strong commitment from the EU for the complete expansion of the charging network across Europe.”

Martin Lundstedt, President and CEO of Volvo Group: “Creating a European market leader in charging infrastructure is the foundation for us to achieve a breakthrough in the transformation to electrification for our customers. We have strong technologies in the field of electromobility. Moreover, with Daimler Truck and the TRATON GROUP – and thanks to the European Green Deal – we not only have an industry-wide consensus but also a political environment that enables significant progress towards sustainable transport and infrastructure solutions.”

A recent industry report* calls for up to 15,000 high-performance charging points by 2025 and up to 50,000 high-performance charging points by 2030 at the latest. The pioneering work of the partners is therefore a call to action for all other industry players as well as for governments and legislators to achieve the set climate goals together with a rapid expansion of the necessary charging network. The charging network of the three parties will be available to fleet operators in Europe regardless of brand – a clear signal to all other players.

Diverse Use Cases

As part of a customer-centered approach, the parties consider different use cases. For example, operators of fleets with battery-electric vehicles can utilize the legally mandated 45-minute driver rest period in Europe for charging – especially in long-distance transport, which is the focus of the future joint venture – as well as charge overnight.

Daimler Truck, the TRATON GROUP, and the Volvo Group will be equally involved in the planned joint venture. However, the parties will remain competitors in all other areas. The establishment of the joint venture is subject to regulatory and other approvals. The signing of an agreement to establish the joint venture is expected by the end of 2021.

* Published in May 2021 by the Association of European Automobile Manufacturers ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers Association / Association des Constructeurs Européens d’Automobiles), the organization of all major truck manufacturers in Europe, which includes Daimler Truck, the TRATON GROUP, and the Volvo Group.

Photo: © Daimler Truck / Caption: Powerful alliance for a high-performance charging network for commercial vehicles (from left): Martin Daum, CEO of Daimler Truck; Matthias Gründler, CEO of TRATON GROUP; Martin Lundstedt, President and CEO of Volvo Group