The network of off-grid electric vehicle charging stations will start with locations on the N3
On South Africa's national roads, ZERO Carbon Logistics, a division of Zero Carbon Charge, is building 120 solar PV electric truck charging stations. The first six locations will be constructed along the main N3 freight route that connects Johannesburg and Durban.
The first off-grid, all green electric vehicle charging network in the nation will be this 120-truck network. It is being constructed in addition to the 120 off-grid charging stations for electric passenger cars that Zero Carbon Charge is now building.
With several truck manufacturers having committed to reaching full electric transition by 2040, this offering is in response to the rising trend by major truck manufacturers toward manufacturing electric vehicle models.
According to Joubert Roux, co-founder of Zero Carbon Charge, "the switch to electric trucks offers a major opportunity for South Africa to meet its Green Transport Strategy goal of reducing transport-related CO2 emissions by 5% by 2050."
"On the N3 between Durban and Johannesburg, 8,756 trucks drive daily, consuming over 658 million liters of petroleum at an import cost of R8 billion and producing 1,781,256,762 kg of CO2 emissions annually. By switching to electric trucks from these fuel-powered ones, our nation's dependency on pricey, polluting fossil fuel imports will be greatly reduced, Roux continued. Each fuel-powered truck would save 670 kg of CO2 emissions every day.
The number of electric vehicles is expected to rise, resulting in a 2.3 billion kWh annual increase in energy consumption only to charge the 8,756 trucks that use the N3 route every day. The nation's electrical infrastructure would be severely strained if all 14 national highways were used, since the 30,000 electric trucks that travel these routes every day would require an extra 8 billion kWh of electricity annually.
To power these vehicles, we must thus begin investing in off-grid infrastructure, especially when traveling large distances. Zero Carbon Logistics will construct 120 truck charging stations on all of South Africa's national highways with this goal in mind.
Co-founder of Zero Carbon Charge Andries Malherbe stated, "We aim to be up and running by November 2027. The first six sites on the N3 have started the permitting process."
Because each of these charging stations will be entirely off-grid and powered by 35 MWp of solar PV, they will not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and will be able to continue serving clients during load shedding. A significant move toward electric vehicles presents a genuine danger of higher CO2 emissions since Eskom's energy network will continue to be predominantly fueled by coal for the foreseeable future. According to research by Zero Carbon Charge, an electric vehicle charged by the Eskom network has the potential to release 37.5% higher CO2 emissions per kilometer than a truck with an identical diesel engine.
In order to charge a truck in under 20 minutes, each station will use modular battery packs that are being developed in China in conjunction with ultra-fast charging technology. Creating clean, safe rest areas for truck drivers is a major project goal, since it will improve road safety. Every station will include fast WIFI, shops, bathrooms, and truck wash and repair facilities. There will be truck parking spaces that are protected for the day and night and that are watched over round-the-clock by CCTV cameras connected to nearby security firms.
"We're thrilled to be starting our big project, Zero Carbon Logistics," said Roux. The initiative builds on the foundation established by Zero Carbon Charge, which is still on pace to build 120 electric passenger vehicle charging stations nationwide by September 2025.
"Getting the required government permissions to install the sites is critical to the success of our electric vehicle charging network roll-out. In this respect, we would like to express our gratitude to the KwaZulu Natal Trade and Industry Authority and the Green Energy section of InvestSA under the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) for their assistance in getting the project underway so far. He said, "We are steadfast in our resolve to collaborate with the government to develop large-scale renewable energy solutions that will facilitate the transition of our nation to green mobility and the development of a net-zero transportation sector.
What You Should Know About Charging Electric Trucks
The use of electric vehicles is growing as a more environmentally friendly substitute for conventional diesel trucks. More than a quarter of all CO2 emissions from road transportation are caused by conventional heavy-duty vehicles. Thus, it is evident that converting truck fleets to electric power will significantly contribute to mitigating climate change. Businesses may outperform their competitors by achieving sustainability standards with an electric fleet.
However, what is impeding the extensive integration of electric heavy-duty trucks?
Range.
Due to their restricted range, e-trucks have made several enterprises hesitant to electrify their whole fleet. Nevertheless, e-trucks have enough range to finish their journeys on the majority of inner-city commutes. However, by relying on a dependable infrastructure for electric vehicle charging, we can get past the common reservations associated with making the move to electric power. The ability to charge electric trucks at convenient locations will be essential to enabling heavy-duty transportation.
We'll go into detail about charging electric trucks in this post. We'll examine various electric truck charging situations, the phases of truck electrification, and the benefits of switching to electric vehicles.
What kinds of trucks are electric?
A wide range of truck types that run on batteries are included under the phrase "electric truck." However, we'll focus on medium- to heavy-duty electric vehicles in this article because they're used for:
- local journeys within cities (medium-duty trucks)
- regional and medium- to heavy-duty truck travel
- heavy-duty vehicles for long-distance travel
How do you charge an electric truck?
A DC rapid charger is usually used to charge an electric vehicle. This charger is wired to either an external power supply or the electrical grid. There are several elements that determine the most effective way to charge electric trucks. The battery size and journey distance are a couple of these variables.
Let's talk about various charging scenarios as well as truck electrification phases in order to distinguish between charging techniques for heavy-duty electric vehicles.
Which situations exist for charging electric trucks?
There are three main charging techniques for heavy-duty electric trucks: overnight charging, destination charging, and on-the-go charging. These various charging circumstances also affect how long it takes to charge an electric truck:
The most typical charging situation is overnight charging. Low DC powers of 50–100 kW allow fleet owners to charge their vehicles over night. This is effective since the cars can often be completely charged in 6 to 8 hours at night. Truck charging management software, such as Kempower ChargEye, has load balancing and peak shaving features that can assist reduce energy expenses.
For cars whose range is less than the daily distance driven, destination charging is required. Logistic facilities and warehouses are potential locations for destination pricing. Between 150 and 400 kW of electricity are utilized during these charging sessions to recharge e-trucks while they are being loaded and unloaded, taking 30 to 2 hours.
considerable-haul truck travels that cover considerable distances each day will require on-the-go charging along urban hubs and highways. Higher powers of up to 1.2 MW will be required to recharge the cars in time for the EU-mandated 30-45-minute mandatory driving breaks.
In conclusion, electric trucks are usually charged using a DC fast charger while traveling down a highway, in a warehouse, or overnight. Depending on the charging conditions, charging an electric vehicle might take anywhere from 30 minutes to 8 hours.
Stages of truck electrification
We've discovered that the infrastructure for charging electric trucks and their acceptance may be seen in phases. These phases show how truck electrification will develop in the near future, present, and future.
Local and regional travel is the first category where electrification is now occurring at the quickest rate.
You may observe the electrification of primarily rigid vehicles at this era. In this stage, heavy-duty vehicles frequently use 50–100 kW truck depots for private overnight charging. This is due to the fact that stage one trucks often have enough range to cover their daily journey. As certain truck trips require recharging at logistic centers in order to cover their distances, destination charging is gradually changing.
Regional and mid-haul truck electrification is the second phase of the project. More articulated trucks are electrified at this point. Destination charging and the integration of charge management into logistic procedures are in greater demand at logistic centers. Government subsidies will also help a large number of fleets at this point. With high power charging stations in metropolitan hubs, public charging is growing in popularity. Over 500 kW of megawatt charging systems are available at these stations.
Long-haul travels would be the last phase of fully electrifying trucks in the third stage. Distribution centers would have completely integrated and automated billing procedures throughout this phase. This stage is also made possible by substantial government subsidies and megawatt charging stations located beside roadways. This stage will also be supported by rest sites offering public overnight charging possibilities.
The advantages of electric vehicles
Global efforts, such as EU guidelines and legislation, are pushing the electrification of heavy-duty vehicles. Clean mobility solutions are required for these endeavors. There are no tailpipe emissions from electric trucks. They are therefore a more environmentally friendly choice for companies looking to lower their carbon impact.
Compared to an ICE vehicle, an electric truck requires a larger initial expenditure. Nonetheless, this decade will see a shift toward total cost ownership (TCO) parity due to the many advantages of electric trucks. Electric trucks have already surpassed internal combustion engine vehicles in several nations.
The following are only a few advantages that lower the overall cost of ownership for electric trucks:
- lower expenses for fuel
- Savings on maintenance
- Governmental rewards
- Road toll waivers
Electric vehicles' and their charging stations' future
The trend that heavy-duty transportation is moving toward is electrification. Long-term, this is excellent news for the truck industry as well as the environment.
But in the case of the electric vehicle market, a cause-and-effect conundrum exists. Which should we prioritize first, the electric trucks or the charging solutions? It's challenging to put more heavy-duty vehicles on the road without the proper infrastructure for charging them. In the absence of additional electric trucks hitting the market, support for improved charging infrastructure is shaky.
We think the first step in expediting the electrification of heavy-duty transportation is to construct widely accessible charging networks. When there is a sufficient and dependable charging infrastructure, end users are more inclined to purchase electric trucks. Fleet managers must be certain that operating electric trucks won't present any challenges.