At IAA Transportation 2024 last month, I experienced firsthand the magnetic effect of the “Tesla phenomenon”. Towards the end of a series of keynote speeches delivered by some of the industry’s most important executives, Dan Priestley, who heads the development of Tesla’s heavy electric ‘Semi’ truck, took to the stage to provide an update on the company’s plans for the commercial vehicle segment. I had a place towards the front, having sat through the preceding talks that afternoon, which were reasonably well attended; however, looking behind just before Priestley’s entry to the stage, I saw a new crowd of attendees filling out the entire space.

The technology which Milence demonstrated is the result of a partnership with Power Electronics which was agreed earlier this year.

The truck charging site will be located specifically within the bounds of the Able Humber Port, just north of Immingham on the southern bank of the Humber estuary in northeastern England.

The charging hub will be built in Bagnolo San Vito, a town located near Mantua and the A22 Autostrada del Brennero.

Located at Vrachtwagenparking Ketenis, the hub has ten combined charging system (CCS) chargers which can be plugged into twenty trucks at once, delivering 400 kW of power to each vehicle.

The planned charging station will be located near Varberg, a settlement which lies between the cities of Gothenburg and Malmö and is reportedly a popular stop-off point for hauliers.

Milence says the hub will be “strategically located” for heavy-duty hauliers travelling between Paris and key settlements in Normandy, including Le Havre, Caen, Dieppe, and Rouen.

The hub currently consists of four charging bays; early next year, Milence will double the capacity and add a roof structure to cover each bay.

Solutrans 2023 was held between 21-25 November at Eurexpo in Lyon, France. Over 1,000 exhibitors and 50,000 guests gathered for the 17th edition of this historic show, centred around the European heavy and light commercial vehicle industry.

The prototype Megawatt Charging System (MCS) is intended to fully recharge a heavy-duty truck in 30-40 minutes, allowing a driver to charge his vehicle up and obtain up to 500 kilometres additional range during his statutory 45-minute break.

Volvo Group, Daimler Truck, and Traton Group have announced that their heavy vehicle charging joint venture will operate under the name Milence BV, based in Amsterdam.