Mercedes-Benz Trucks last week opened a charging park in Germany which plays host to a range of charging stations and charging concepts from different manufacturers.
The eTruck Charging Park, located near the company’s Application Information Center (BIC) in Wörth am Rhein, is designed to allow electric truck customers to test charging stations and charging concepts from a variety of manufacturers.
Electric truck customers can also work with on-site experts from Mercedes-Benz Trucks to develop tailor-made charging solutions for their own companies and applications.
“In the transformation to e-mobility, our goal is to offer our customers more than just an electric truck,” said Michael Scheib, head of product management for Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
“We want to provide an integrated solution that includes consulting and charging infrastructure solutions from a single source. 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.”
The charging technology on display and for testing is combined with a range of consulting services to help electric truck owners and customers make the transition into e-mobility.
A total of six charging stations from different manufacturers are currently installed at the eTruck Charging Park with outputs ranging between 40kW and 300kW.
However, given that charging technology is continuing to develop so rapidly, Mercedes-Benz and its project partner, the services division of Netze BW, have built the Park with a modular structure so that charging stations can be added or replaced as necessary.
Similarly, the installation of a megawatt charging station (MCS) is also possible as a potential next step.
“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,” said Axel Hausen, head of major e-mobility & special projects at the services division of Netze BW.
“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.”
It is the hope that by providing different charging options in one place, electric truck customers will have the opportunity to directly compare different products.
The Charging Park also demonstrates ways to tackle issues such as grid connection, local energy generation, energy storage, and intelligent management of charging processes.
For example, the eTruck Charging Park can illustrate for electric truck owners and operators how charging processes can be integrated into existing logistics processes, thereby reducing energy costs.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks also allows for the ability to test drive its eActros 300/400 for heavy-duty distribution haulage, providing customers with the opportunity to better understand the efficiency, range, and charging capabilities of electric trucks.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.