Interactive map for potential public charging locations for battery electric trucks in Germany

Deploying public charging infrastructure for battery-electric trucks (BETs) is a vital prerequisite for electrifying road freight transport and hence, plays a pivotal role in achieving German and European climate targets. However, there is uncertainty with regard to the attractiveness of specific locations. Fraunhofer ISI conducted a new study to address this issue as part of the HOLA project, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport. The study uses a GIS-based and multi-criteria decision analysis to characterize approximately 1,700 current truck stop locations in Germany, evaluate the attractiveness of public truck parking areas, and determine their potential suitability for BET charging infrastructure.

Fraunhofer ISI provides the results of the most recent study as an interactive HTML map to support the coordinated development of charging infrastructure for BETs in Germany. The map covers 1,648 clustered public parking and rest areas in Germany as potential charging locations. Clicking on an individual site reveals its geo-coordinates and attractiveness rating on a scale from 1 (unattractive) to 100 (most attractive). Its attractiveness is also indicated by a color scale. Only center points are illustrated on the map if multiple potential locations exist within a small radius, such as on different sides of a highway.

Abstract of the study

The study uses publicly accessible parking and rest areas in Germany and the results published from a prior study on truck stop locations in Europe. The latter features current truck stop locations, which this Fraunhofer ISI study analyzes and characterizes individually using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to compile data on various site features. These features include proximity to the highway network, available infrastructure such as fueling stations and service areas, as well as information about nearby businesses and industry.

The study then assesses these locations and their daily number of truck stops using a GIS-based and multi-criteria decision analysis and an archetypal analysis. The assessment shows that the combination of site features determines the attractiveness of a location rather than individual features. More than 70 % of all locations and stops can be attributed to one of three clusters consisting of a combination of (1) commercial and industrial areas, (2) truck parking with services, and (3) service stations along the TEN-T network. These clusters could constitute the backbone of a German BET charging network, so the study recommends deploying public charging infrastructure for BETs at these sites for the closest alignment with existing truck operating patterns. Transferring the findings on current truck stop locations and their attractiveness, this study finally evaluates the potential attractiveness for public BET charging infrastructure for 1,648 public parking and rest areas in Germany, identified using OpenStreetMaps.org (OSM). The published HTML map based on OSM displays these findings.