Stuttgart Airport has set up charging stations for electric trucks for the first time. The four new charging points are available to forwarding agents and freight service providers at the air cargo center and offer high-performance charging technology with up to 400 kilowatts of charging power.
Sustainability as a Strategic Goal
With the installation of the charging infrastructure, the operating company Flughafen Stuttgart pursues the goal of making freight traffic on the airport grounds more environmentally friendly.
“The new charging stations support this approach by enabling sustainable and clean freight transport at the airport,” emphasizes Managing Director Carsten Poralla.
This is an important step as part of the STRzero climate strategy, with which the airport aims to become greenhouse gas neutral by 2040.
Politics also supports the development. Transport Minister Winfried Hermann, who is also Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Flughafen Stuttgart GmbH, highlights the importance of electrification in freight transport:
“To achieve the state's climate goals, every second ton must be transported in a climate-neutral manner by 2030.”
For him, it is certain that the truck of the future will not only be more climate-friendly but also quieter.
Challenge: Infrastructure for the E-Truck
With the opening of the charging stations, the airport sees itself as a pioneer in the field of electric commercial vehicles. The new charging points would demonstrate that the electrification of freight transport is progressing. Nevertheless, there are challenges: The charging infrastructure for trucks is still in its early stages, and many forwarding companies face the question of whether investments in electric vehicles are worthwhile.
The financing of the charging points was partly provided by a grant from the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport amounting to around 44,000 euros. The funds come from the “Electromobility Funding Guidelines” and are coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by the project manager Jülich.
In addition to the truck infrastructure, the airport already operates nearly 100 public charging points for cars. Here too, the electricity comes entirely from renewable energy sources.
Progress with Challenges
The installation of charging stations at Stuttgart Airport is a positive signal for the industry. It shows that the infrastructure for electric trucks is growing and that the decarbonization of freight transport is being taken seriously. At the same time, it remains to be seen how quickly the transport industry will respond to the new opportunities and invest in electric trucks. Because without a nationwide charging infrastructure and economically attractive vehicle models, the transformation remains a challenge.
