Haulage companies can join the network to use the infrastructure with their e-trucks or to provide charging points themselves and thus contribute to the expansion of the system. "This promotes efficient provision, use and significantly higher utilization of the charging stations integrated into the network," says Katrin Herda, Head of Energy Solutions and E-Mobility at TST. There are already eight partners using the TST charging infrastructure. "We like to be the beacon of the industry - our charging infrastructure is open to everyone," emphasizes TST Managing Director Frank Schmidt.

Eight partners at the start

The TST concept is driven by a variety of challenges that the transport and logistics industry is facing in the mobility transition in road freight transport. For example, the electrification of vehicle fleets has so far presented the transport industry with a whole host of difficulties. The plight of the charging infrastructure for electric trucks is particularly glaring: there is not only a lack of sufficient stations, but also a lack of stations that meet the special requirements of truck traffic. For many logistics companies, high prices at public charging points are an additional cost factor that puts further pressure on their already tight budgets.

"There is a lack of reliable location data for truck-compatible charging options. Important digital services such as reservation systems are often lacking in the truck segment," explains Herda. Billing systems are also rarely tailored to the needs of fleet operators. This quickly turns a charging process into a logistical obstacle: "The pillars are too low, the area is too narrow and turning is hardly possible. In addition, the integration of solar and wind systems is still far from standard," criticizes Herda. "We have intensively explored the market and sought discussions with many players in the industry - but so far there is no solution that is both technically and economically convincing," she adds.

Under the brand name "PamSun", the logistics group TST is already operating its first own fast-charging park for electric trucks in Worms. The facility has eight charging points (high-power chargers) with a charging capacity of 3 x 400 kilowatts (kW), 3 x 240 kW and 2 x 160 kW. The charging station is primarily powered by green energy, which is generated by TST's own photovoltaic systems (100 percent green energy) and grid power (60 percent green energy). By the middle of next year, the TST sites in Wevelinghoven (North Rhine-Westphalia) and Alzey (Rhineland-Palatinate) will be connected to the grid and further e-charging points for trucks will be built.