The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) provided details about the planned tender for a nationwide rapid charging network for trucks at around 130 unmanaged rest areas as part of the market consultation via an online information event.
Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital and Transport, states: “Germany is becoming a pioneer in forward-looking charging infrastructure policy. With our tender, we are initially creating new charging opportunities for trucks at approximately 130 locations at unmanaged rest areas nationwide.”
“Together with the planned locations at managed rest areas, we will cover about two-thirds of the expected charging demand for heavy-duty vehicles on our motorways with 350 locations,” he adds.
The remaining third will then be developed by the private sector.
“The first companies have already announced their intention to invest in the charging network on private land. I welcome their commitment,” says Wissing.
And he continues: “In September, we will start the tender for five lots, each with around 25 locations at unmanaged rest areas.”
Starting today, potential bidders and companies as future users have the opportunity to comment on the tender details presented.
Johannes Pallasch, spokesperson for the National Charging Infrastructure Control Centre and Head of Division at NOW GmbH, indicates: “We view this rapid charging network as an overall system. In the future, about 70 per cent of public lorry charging will occur at managed and unmanaged rest areas.”
“For the industrial and logistics sectors, as well as for us, the focus now is on rapid scaling. Attractive prices and a fair competitive landscape are central to ensuring the successful ramp-up of the overall system,” he adds.
Locations & Number of Charging Points
A total of around 350 locations will be established along the motorways, with approximately 220 at managed rest areas and about 130 at unmanaged rest areas.
The selection of specific locations for the lorry rapid charging network was carried out in six steps by the National Charging Infrastructure Control Centre:
- Determination of charging demand in long-distance transport (journeys longer than 300 km) for the year 2030.
- Mapping of charging demand onto route sections of federal motorways based on traffic and toll data.
- Selection of suitable rest areas on motorways.
- Aggregation of charging demands per route section of the federal motorway at selected locations.
- Determination of the size of charging locations based on parking stays and durations.
- Determination of the number of charging points per rest area considering space constraints and the conversion rate of parking spaces into charging points.
Tender
The contract will be awarded in lots, with the planning, construction, and operation of the charging infrastructure each being tendered together for a lot.
The expected contract duration is eight years, with an additional extension option by the Federal Government for another four years.
The approximately 130 unmanaged rest areas will be divided into five lots to ensure an even distribution.
Each lot includes around 25 locations.
This division ensures that competition is enabled while also allowing synergies in the construction and operation of the charging infrastructure to be utilised.
The Autobahn GmbH des Bundes, as the owner of the areas, is responsible for the tender and the award procedure.
It will provide the necessary areas at the motorway rest areas and order the required network connections from the local distribution network operators.
The BMDV will provide the funding for the establishment of these network connections.
Interested parties can participate in the online survey until 16 August 2024.
