Flanders offers €3 million for e-truck chargers and ‘innovative solutons’

Flemish minister for Mobility Lydia Peeters (Open Vld) has launched a new project call to improve the charging infrastructure for heavy electric commercial vehicles. Not only chargers but also innovative solutions like battery swap stations are eligible for the €3 million subsidy allocation.

This isn’t the first time the Flemish government has offered to subsidize part of the cost of improving (semi-)public charging infrastructure. Just last year, €6.3 million was allocated to create 1,200 commercial vehicle charging points, and another €2 million was offered for innovative charging solutions pilot projects.

Innovation, charging, and software

Now, another €3 million has been allocated for three categories of e-truck charging infrastructure: pilot projects for innovative charging solutions, private and (semi-)public charging points using green energy, and software development to link existing charging systems.

For innovative charging solutions, Minister Peeters gives the example of battery swap stations to eliminate charging times, charging systems at docking stations, or a shared charging system between companies. These projects are eligible for a maximum subsidy of 40%, or €250,000.

The installation of charging points is pretty self-explanatory, with, in this case, a maximum subsidy of 20%, or 250,000 euros. These charging points will have to be supplied with renewable energy and are to be used mainly by >4.25-tonne electric trucks.

In the case of the software systems, the Flemish government is offering up to €25,000 per project. Examples include a software link between the smart charging solution and transport planning, which could automatically generate the best charging times for each truck.

Nearly achieved the 2025 goal

Companies have until 30 April 2024 to apply for the subsidy. Multiple projects per company are allowed, but only new projects are eligible. The subsidy only covers the direct costs incurred for the charging or software solution.

This new project call is part of Minister Peeters’ Clean Power for Transport (CPT) policy, which aims to have 35,000 charging point equivalents in Flanders, with an “ultra-fast” charger (150 to 400 kW) every 25 km along the main roads. According to the minister, 34,000 (semi-)public charging points are currently in place, of which 750 fast chargers and 1,000 ultra-fast chargers are in place.