Six public charging locations with ultra-fast 300kw charge points aimed at electric HGVs have been launched along a 600km stretch of the Rhine-Alpine corridor across Germany.
The corridor is one of the busiest road freight routes in Europe. It connects key North Sea ports in Belgium and the Netherlands with the Mediterranean port of Genoa in Italy through a 1,300km-long road network.
The new chargers have been installed on Aral retail sites in Germany between the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan area and the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region. Aral is bp’s German retail brand. In the next six months, two additional locations are scheduled to open on Aral retail sites to complete the new charging corridor.
Once complete, using the Aral pulse charging corridor, an electric HGV will be able to cover over 600km across Germany along one of European’s major road transport routes.
The 300kw charging stations are each capable of charging more than 20 lorries, per charger each day. An electric HGV’s range can reach up to 200km in around 45 minutes using ultra-fast charge points.
The Aral retail sites offer access to hot food, restrooms and showers for drivers to use during a mandatory rest period in addition to dedicated charging in “safe, well-lit and convenient locations”.
Nigel Head, EV Truck Director, Europe, bp pulse, said:
“This is a significant moment for E-Trucks in Europe and an important step in our journey towards helping to decarbonise truck transportation. By electrifying this stretch of the Rhine-Alpine corridor with ultra-fast charging, bp is enabling EV Truck charging beyond “back to base” whilst rapidly learning customer insights which will directly inform our longer-term European network and proposition.”
Alex Junge, Aral Board Member for E-Mobility, added:
“The discussion about e-mobility has been focused on the passenger car sector, but medium and heavy goods vehicles are also at a decisive turning point. Our strategy is designed to meet this demand with the right infrastructure and our first public electric truck charging corridor in Germany is an important milestone on this path.”