Milence, the joint venture between Daimler Truck (Mercedes-Benz Trucks), the Traton Group (MAN, Scania), and Volvo Group (Volvo Trucks, Renault Trucks) created to tackle the charging infrastructure for long-haul electric transport, has started operations with its first charging hub in Venlo, the Netherlands. Another will follow soon in Antwerp.

Milence can be described as the ‘Ionity for trucks’. It’s a joint venture between most of the largest truck brands to create a suitable charging infrastructure for heavy-duty road transport. The JV was formed in July 2022, with the Milence brand unveiled in December 2022, and it has now opened its first charging hub in the Netherlands.

Up to 400 kW, megawatt charging coming soon

The Milence charging hub at Truck Parking Venlo consists of two high-performance CCS chargers (with four charging points), providing up to 400 kW of charging power. Another four bays are coming in Q1 2024, and a roof for the hub to stay dry while charging.

Pricing starts at 0,399 euros per kWh (excluding VAT and transaction costs), which can be paid through the Milence app. All truck brands are welcome, and a booking system is under development.

An upgrade to the Megawatt Charging System, which provides up to 3,75 MW of charging power, is planned as soon as it becomes available, likely in the second half of 2024.

Infrastructure for trucks is still lacking

These fast-charging hubs are designed to enable electric trucks to recover most of their range during the mandatory 45-minute break for drivers during their shifts. A practical location is, therefore, essential. Milence has already announced more hubs coming to the Port of Antwerp (2024) and Ghent (2025), with a goal of 1 700 charging points across Europe by 2028.

Milence is still a pioneer in charging hubs for trucks. While they are becoming more and more prevalent for electric passenger vehicles, with brands like Porsche and Mercedes opening their own hubs, the market for trucks is still wide open. BP is also active in this area and opened its first truck charging station in 2022, with seven more stations along the Rhine-Alpine corridor in Germany.