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Port of Gothenburg leads the charge in electric truck revolution

[ October 20, 2022   //   ]

The Port of Gothenburg has opened what it says is the first public charging and hydrogen filling station in the Nordic region for heavy goods traffic.

The Circle K operated station has been built from a heavy truck perspective. Initially there will be six public charging stations for electrically powered heavy trucks, with a capacity of up to 360 kW per charging bay, which increase capacity and reduce waiting times, it says.

Hydrogen will be made available at the station within a year, it adds.

Volvo Group, Scania and Stena Line have surveyed the one million-plus heavy trucks that collect or deliver goods at the port every year under the Tranzero initiative.

They found that a large proportion were particularly suitable for fossil-free transition here and now, and a public station for charging and hydrogen in the heart of the port would be a key enabler.

“The station’s opening at exactly the right place, in terms of both timing and location. Serial production of electric heavy goods vehicles is up and running, and vehicles have been ordered by actors with a lot of traffic at the port.

Gothenburg Port Authority chief executive Elvir Dzanic predicted: “By the end of the year, electric heavy trucks will be a common sight in the port, and it will just keep on growing from there. So, this station comes at just the right time – the transition is taking place here and now, and as far as the port is concerned we’re delighted to be able to work with Circle K to provide the necessary infrastructure.”

The new facility also offers food and drink, showers and toilets. Secure parking is available within a fenced area, with CCTV surveillance and room for about 40 heavy trucks, something there is tremendous demand for says the port.

It has also been laid out from a heavy truck perspective, providing good turning radius and ensuring that all charging bays can be accessed from multiple directions by different kinds of vehicles.

Lennart Olsson, who is responsible for heavy goods traffic charging at Circle K added: “The station is a magnificent flagship and a real milestone along the way to a future of greener transport operations. We’re incredibly happy and proud to be leading the way on this journey and of what we’ve achieved, such as the collaboration with the port. The station’s strategic location and smart structure mean that we’re well-prepared for the market’s future needs for different fuels. This station has the potential to become an important hub in the transition.”

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