Europe Will Need 35,000 Public Megawatt Chargers for Electric Trucks by 2030

Europe’s truck industry is facing a critical challenge: achieving a 45% reduction in CO2 emissions for heavy-duty vehicles by 2030 will require infrastructure to expand rapidly. While electric truck technology itself is ready, Europe’s charging network still falls short of what’s needed.

“Today there are only 600 chargers for heavy trucks across Europe, but by 2030 we’ll need 35,000,” said Karin Radström, CEO of Daimler Truck, at the ACEA #FutureDriven Experience Centre in Brussels. “That means building 400 chargers every month to meet EU targets.”

Truck manufacturers stress that hitting these targets depends on streamlining permitting processes and expanding grid capacity. AFIR regulations require charging stations every 60 km along major European routes by 2025, but progress has been slow.

“Infrastructure needs to move faster, or we’re heading toward a wall by 2030,” Radström warned.

Industry leaders, including Scania and DAF Trucks, are calling for greater alignment across EU regulations and a move away from incentives that favor fossil fuels. “The business case for electric trucks has to work,” said Harald Seidel, President of DAF Trucks. “Operators need green energy infrastructure to make these investments pay off.”