Why electric truck charging is moving beyond motorways

Despite the steady rollout of public charging hubs along major European corridors, electric truck charging remains uneven across the continent. While motorway-based infrastructure mainly supports long-haul operations, gaps persist for regional and depot-based transport – pushing logistics operators to open up their private charging facilities to external users.

Public charging networks for heavy-duty electric vehicles have expanded primarily along the TEN-T corridors, strengthening cross-border and long-distance transport links. This corridor-focused approach has helped establish a European charging backbone, but it has also exposed structural limitations. A large share of freight operations remains anchored around depots, logistics parks and regional distribution centres that are not always well served by motorway hubs.

For operators running regional, return-to-base or dedicated-route fleets, charging availability often depends less on public infrastructure and more on what is accessible at or near logistics facilities. As a result, coverage away from major transport axes remains patchy, particularly outside core long-haul routes.

Depot charging as a response to infrastructure gaps

In response, some haulage operators are beginning to open up their depot-based charging infrastructure to third-party users during periods when it is not required by their own fleets. The rationale is that depot chargers, especially in the early stages of fleet electrification, are not used continuously, leaving spare capacity that can be made available to other electric trucks.

This semi-public approach shifts part of the charging challenge away from building additional motorway sites and towards improving the utilisation of existing infrastructure within logistics facilities. For depot operators, it offers a potential way to offset investment costs, while for external users it can provide access to charging closer to operational locations.

More broadly, the model reflects the operational reality of freight transport, where charging needs vary significantly depending on route structure, vehicle duty cycles and fleet organisation.

Early testing across different fleet profiles

Initial examples of depot-based charging being opened to external users can already be found in Germany, where logistics operators with different fleet sizes and operational models are testing how the concept works in practice. These pilots are being used to assess how shared depot charging fits with different shift patterns, vehicle utilisation rates and access requirements.

The involvement of operators with diverse business profiles is intended to test whether the model can function beyond isolated use cases. Rather than maximising throughput, the focus is on flexibility and availability, particularly in locations where public charging options remain limited.

Public networks and pricing transparency

While depot-based charging offers proximity and operational flexibility, one key uncertainty remains: pricing. Unlike public charging hubs, where tariffs are published and broadly comparable across markets, the cost of charging at semi-public depots is largely determined by individual operators and is not yet transparent to external users.

This lack of pricing visibility complicates route planning and cost calculations for fleet operators, especially for those operating across multiple regions or national borders.

By contrast, public charging networks for electric trucks are moving towards more standardised and transparent pricing structures. Milence, the joint venture backed by Daimler Truck, the TRATON GROUP and the Volvo Group, has announced the introduction of country-specific, market-based charging tariffs across its European network from 1 January 2026.

According to the company, the new pricing model reflects differences in local energy costs, taxes and grid fees, replacing a uniform pan-European approach with nationally aligned base tariffs. Base prices (excluding VAT) will range from €0.339 per kWh in markets such as France and Spain to €0.399 per kWh in Germany, the Netherlands and Italy. The UK base tariff has been set at £0.399 per kWh, with Nordic markets applying local currency pricing.

Milence currently operates 30 public charging hubs across eight European countries, primarily located along major freight corridors, and positions transparent pricing as a key element in supporting predictable operating costs for electric truck fleets.

Two models, complementary roles

The contrast highlights a structural divide in Europe’s electric truck charging landscape. Public motorway hubs provide corridor coverage and pricing transparency, supporting long-haul and cross-border operations. Depot-based charging, meanwhile, addresses gaps closer to logistics operations but comes with greater variability in access conditions and costs.

As electric truck adoption increases, both models are likely to play distinct but complementary roles. While public networks continue to form the backbone of long-distance electric freight, the opening up of logistics depots may prove critical in filling the remaining gaps – particularly for regional and mixed transport operations where charging flexibility matters as much as network reach.