Daimler Truck has completed the construction of a demonstration truck charging park at its site in Wörth am Rhein, Germany, which was launched in February. Near the industry information centre, customers will soon be able to test charging columns and concepts from various manufacturers and, with the help of experts on site, develop customised charging solutions for their own needs.
According to a press spokesperson, a few final adjustments are still needed before the service can be used in the coming weeks. The truck manufacturer has already invited truck fleet operators to a presentation in Wörth. The new offer is intended to make it easier for customers to get started with electric mobility.
In concrete terms, this is to be done by providing various charging options at one location that customers can compare directly with each other. Aspects such as the grid connection, local energy generation, energy storage and the intelligent control of charging processes will also be addressed on site. In the future, for example, it will be possible to show how charging processes can be integrated into existing logistics processes and how energy costs can be reduced in the process.
The eTruck Charging Park currently comprises six charging columns from the companies Siemens, ABB, Ekoenergetyka and Alpitronic, with outputs between 40 kW and 300 kW on an area of around 2,000 square metres.
Daimler Trucks says that, on the basis of test drives in the eActros 300/400 for heavy distribution transport, customers are also offered the opportunity to get an immediate impression of the efficiency, range and charging characteristics of the electric trucks. This should allow customers to outline a complete electric solution for their individual requirements with the assistance of the experts on site. The park is also equipped with a photovoltaic system and stationary storage. As a “proof of concept”, it is intended to demonstrate possibilities for an efficient power supply for the charging columns.
In view of the rapidly developing technology, Daimler has decided to build the park in a modular way, so that charging columns can be added or replaced later if necessary – as could also happen with potential customers. In view of this, Daimler is also considering the use of the new charging standard megawatt charging for the park. As a next step, Daimler says the installation of corresponding MCS charging columns should be possible, but cannot yet say when this will be the case.
Daimler is involved in the development of the new charging standard as an active member of CharIN, a global association for the standardisation of charging infrastructure. The first truck to enable the new high-performance standard is the battery-electric long-distance truck eActros LongHaul with a range of around 500 kilometres. The vehicle was first presented in 2020 and is currently being tested. Daimler Truck will show the eActros LongHaul at the IAA Transportation in Hanover in September.
“In the transformation to e-mobility, our goal is to offer our customers more than just an electric truck. We want to provide an integrated solution that includes consulting and charging infrastructure solutions from a single source,” says Michael Scheib, Head of Product Management, Mercedes-Benz Trucks. “Our charging park for customers in Wörth is an integral part of this approach and shows customers, in a practical and tangible way, what charging infrastructure for their application can look like.”
Axel Hausen, Head of eMob Major Projects, Marketing & Special Projects at Netze BW’s Services Division, says: “Besides the technological development of all the necessary components, the development of the electric charging infrastructure is one of the factors crucial to the success of electric heavy-duty transport. Together with our parent company, EnBW, we are contributing a lot of expertise in charging infrastructure and the energy industry to the project. In Wörth, we are working with investors such as e-fleet operators, truck manufacturers, industrial and commercial customers, and municipalities to develop individual charging solutions, especially for depot logistics, that will help electric heavy-duty transport take off.”
The eTruck Charging Park is being implemented in cooperation with project partner BW Sparte Dienstleistungen. The Netze BW division has been responsible for the conception, planning and construction of the customer demo charging park as the building owner. After completion of the construction phase, it will now take over the operational management of the facility as well as maintenance and service. The two companies invested a “low seven-figure sum” in equal parts, as a Daimler Truck press spokesperson told electrive.net in response to an enquiry.
Reporting by Domenico Sciurti
Keyword: Daimler Truck completes demonstration charging park