The companies announced on Monday that they would launch a joint venture for this in the coming year. They described this as the industry’s contribution to climate-neutral transport in the European Union by 2050, as the EU’s “Green Deal” aims to achieve. Establishing the charging infrastructure is essential, explained Daimler boss Martin Daum. According to Volvo boss Martin Lundstedt, the EU climate protection target of a CO2-neutral economy by 2050 creates the political environment for progress towards sustainable transport.
Investment volume of 500 million euros
Initially, Daimler, Traton and Volvo want to invest EUR 500 million together to set up at least 1,700 high-performance charging points near motorways and logistics centers within five years. They will be available to all e-trucks and buses regardless of brand. According to an estimate by the European car association ACEA, the demand is a multiple of this: By 2025 at the latest, up to 15,000 high-performance charging points will be needed for battery-powered commercial vehicles and up to 50,000 by 2030.
“We are now taking the first step to accelerate the transition to sustainable transport without fossil fuels,” explained Traton boss Matthias Gründler. The Scania and MAN brands belong to the Volkswagen subsidiary in Europe. The second step must be a strong commitment from the EU to the full expansion of the charging network across Europe, said Gründler. In addition to public funding, additional partners in the joint venture could drive the further expansion.
All three commercial vehicle manufacturers are switching to trucks and buses with battery drives. However, only Traton relies on the technology for heavy trucks, while Daimler and Volvo are two-pronged. In a joint venture, you are developing the series use of fuel cells for heavy trucks, with electricity being produced from hydrogen. Traton thinks this is too expensive and inefficient. A joint venture for fast charging networks for electric cars of the major German carmakers and Hyundai – Ionity – has existed for a long time. Renault and Shell are interested in getting involved, according to insiders.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
