EU approves €1.6B plan for truck fast-charging network
Funding paves the way for nationwide high-performance charging along motorways.
The European Commission has approved state aid of up to €1.6 billion to develop fast-charging infrastructure for battery-electric trucks at unmanaged rest areas along federal motorways. This decision enables the first implementation phase of a nationwide high-performance charging network, as proposed by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV).
“With fast-charging infrastructure at unmanaged rest stops, we are creating a reliable entry point into public charging for heavy-duty electric trucks,” said Patrick Schnieder, Federal Minister of Transport. “The EU Commission’s decision allows us to quickly realize this first, decisive expansion step.”
The plan includes installing up to 725 CCS (Combined Charging System) and 685 MCS (Megawatt Charging System) charging points tailored for heavy-duty vehicles. CCS is widely used today, while MCS enables megawatt-level charging for ultra-fast turnaround on long-haul routes.
The rollout will start at 124 unmanaged rest areas, with Autobahn GmbH and the National Centre for Charging Infrastructure leading implementation under NOW GmbH. Future expansion will include managed rest areas. Charging options will include ad hoc payments and contract-based services to ensure competition and fair pricing.
Currently, Germany has only 64 public truck charging locations. “For e-trucks to become economically attractive for the transport and logistics sector, the public charging network must also scale quickly, reliably and with high performance,” said Dagmar Fehler, CEO of NOW GmbH. “This is precisely why setting up charging stations at unmanaged rest areas is a key first step: it creates planning and investment security and accelerates market ramp-up.”
