The European Union has set itself ambitious goals for road freight transport. By 2030, according to EU guidelines, more than one in three trucks should be electric. For the transport and logistics sector, this implies a profound transformation that does not depend solely on vehicle technology. What is decisive is above all the establishment of a functioning charging infrastructure.
Policy goals and current starting position
As figures from the Hamburg-based company Helio and the charging infrastructure specialist Nanuq suggest, there are currently fewer than 300 public charging points for heavy-duty vehicles in Germany. To meet the European targets, thousands of additional sites in public spaces would have to be created. Moreover, up to 100,000 charging points at operating yards would be required, the two companies said in a joint statement.
Investment needs and obstacles
For
the pan-European expansion of charging infrastructure, the capital requirement is estimated at around 22 billion euros. Freight forwarders and fleet operators thus face several hurdles. On the one hand, the necessary investments are high; on the other, lengthy permitting procedures slow implementation. Additionally, many companies lack access to capital.
„The switch to electric trucks currently fails less due to the will of companies than due to reality: missing charging points, high investment costs and complex permitting procedures,“ explains Fabrice Kathmann, managing director of Nanuq.
Market-oriented approaches
Against this backdrop, Helio and Nanuq rely on a market-based model. Helio brings private capital from citizens and small and medium-sized investors into the projects. Nanuq handles planning, construction, and operation of the charging points.
The partners describe a division-of-labor solution: Investors finance the infrastructure, Nanuq implements it, and
logistics companies pay only for the amount of energy charged. The otherwise necessary capital commitment is thus eliminated for fleet operators.
„With solar parks and battery storage we have shown that citizens as well as SMEs can support and benefit from the energy transition. Charging infrastructure is the next logical step,“ emphasizes Fabio Griemens, founder of Helio.
Importance for the industry
For freight forwarders, this model opens the possibility to gradually convert their fleets to electric propulsion without having to shoulder the high upfront costs themselves. According to Helio and Nanuq, the first charging points from the cooperation are expected to arise as early as 2025 at strategically important logistics sites in northern and western Germany. Within five years, the partners aim to build a nationwide network in Germany.
In the assessment of the two
companies, the impact goes beyond the immediate expansion of infrastructure. Involving private capital strengthens public acceptance of the energy transition. Similar to the decentralized expansion of solar parks, direct participation increases identification with the projects and creates regional value creation.
Outlook
The electrification of heavy-duty road transport is seen as the key to achieving climate targets in the transport sector. At the same time, the current state of charging infrastructure shows that the path there is still long. With their market-oriented approaches, Helio and Nanuq aim to mobilize capital, reduce investment risks, and thus accelerate electrification.
For managers in freight transport companies, the question arises how they can integrate such models into their own transformation strategy. One thing is clear: Without a substantial expansion of charging infrastructure, the EU's goal is unlikely to be reached.
