Traton SE: European Electric Truck Demand to Reach 200 TWh by 2045

Demand for electricity to power electric trucks in Europe could surge to over 200 Terawatt hours (TWh) per year by 2045, according to a study by the Fraunhofer Institute for System and Innovation Research (ISI) and the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). The study projects approximately 100 TWh of demand by 2035, assuming favorable policy conditions to support the adoption of battery-electric trucks; a less optimistic scenario estimates roughly one-third of that amount.

Germany is expected to have the highest demand, potentially reaching up to 43 TWh in 2045, followed by France and the UK with around 35 and 34 TWh respectively. For context, Germany generated a total of 432 TWh of electricity in 2023. However, the study indicates that the majority of charging will occur at depots, concentrated along specific freight corridors, industrial sites, and logistics centers.

The report stresses the importance of prioritizing infrastructure development and grid planning in areas with high and certain demand to avoid bottlenecks that could hinder the rapid adoption of battery-electric trucks. The findings align with ongoing concerns regarding the pace of charging infrastructure rollout, as previously highlighted by the German automotive industry association (VDA).