Providing power for electric HGVs

Electric vehicles are widely accepted as the future, but powering all electric HGVs is a much bigger challenge.

Net-zero ambitions and the implementation of Clean Air Zones have influenced many big manufacturers to add electric HGV models to their portfolios. But their larger weight and battery charging requirements have put the brakes on their wide-spread adoption.

The weight and capacity of HGV batteries needs to be assessed in relation to their charge-times. Most existing AC charge points work at around 40kWh, while faster charging DC points can achieve 100kWh. This range is suitable to charge your typical EV car within an hour or less, but the charging times for electric HGVs with a 600kWh battery, for example, will be significantly longer.

Fleet drivers who rely on ‘opportunity charging’ for long-distance journeys, meaning quick pit-stops along the way to recharge as-and-when required, would be severely impacted by these longer waiting times. Local-route HGV drivers who can return to base to charge overnight may afford longer recharge times, but for many commercial premises, their electrical infrastructure is insufficient to recharge heavy vehicles.

Bidding farewell to a diesel world

To properly prepare HGVs for their electric future, businesses must begin initiating upgrades at every step of the trucks charging journey – from depot to enroute pit-stops. Both types of charging stations also need to assess their existing grid connections and upgrade their high voltage electrical equipment to prepare for the high-power demands.

It will take careful planning – and the power of partnerships – to crack the electric HGV challenge. The government may have pledged to make HGVs zero-emission by 2040, but its HGV charging concept is a long way from being materialised.

The most practical way for hauliers to transition to electric fleets will be to switch part of their fleet, which can operate on depot charging and a limited amount of opportunity charging, to electric – and to build the required infrastructure in partnership with an energy specialist. Maria Lindberg, Director of Heavy Transport and Industry at Vattenfall Network Solutions, elaborates:

“Designing, installing and managing the infrastructure and equipment for electric HGVs requires specialist electrical knowledge, which is not usually the purview of haulage companies. Vattenfall’s Power-as-a-Service model covers all the above, and we provide CAPEX to cover the cost of buying and installing the required infrastructure and equipment. We take full responsibility for our clients’ electrical needs, leaving them to focus on their core business.”