Over 5,000 public megawatt chargers needed in EU for electric trucks by 2030

Europe’s road freight sector is set for a major shift as battery electric trucks gain traction. A new report from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) estimates that by 2030, the European Union will need between 4,000 and 5,300 public megawatt chargers to support the growing electric fleet.

The study shows that overnight charging is expected to be the primary charging mode. By 2030, the EU truck fleet will require 22–28 gigawatts (GW) of charging power capacity. This translates to 150,000–175,000 private chargers and 60,000–80,000 public chargers across the EU.

Megawatt chargers comprise almost 15 per cent of the projected installed charging power needs but only two per cent of the total number of chargers.

“Battery electric trucks are on track to become the backbone of Europe’s zero-emission freight fleet, and the growing fleet will require a balanced and strong charging infrastructure deployment across Europe”, said Dr. Hussein Basma, senior researcher at the ICCT.

“This study shows that most charging will take place at depots and rest areas, while megawatt chargers will be critical but relatively limited in number.”

Battery electric trucks sales are expected to accelerate as manufacturers strive to meet the EU’s carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction targets. Operators will use different charging strategies depending on vehicle range, routes, and available charging time: long-haul trips may require ultrafast megawatt chargers, but most will rely on overnight charging.

“One key finding is that more than half of public fast-charging needs can still be met with 350 kW chargers, which are more economic and easier to deploy,” says Dr. Felipe Rodríguez, director for heavy-duty vehicles at ICCT.

“These numbers and insights give industry and policymakers a solid basis for planning the road ahead without speculation or guesswork. The challenge isn’t just scale. It’s placing the chargers when and where they’re needed most.”

With the continuous improvement in battery technology, future trucks are expected to be equipped with larger batteries, which would make them less reliant on public megawatt chargers, reducing the need for megawatt chargers by 40 per cent.

The authors suggest policy options to accelerate the deployment of charging infrastructure, such as streamlining the charging infrastructure deployment and grid permitting processes, and empowering grid operators to make anticipatory investments.