BGL and Depotcharge launch a nationwide depot network

Image: Scania (illustrative)

The Bundesverband Güterkraftverkehr Logistik und Entsorgung (BGL) and Depotcharge are launching BGL Charge, a nationwide depot charging network for electric road freight transport. Freight companies can use it to open unused charging points at their depots for other fleets while also accessing the charging infrastructure of other participants. More than 200 companies with around 600 electric trucks are already registered with Depotcharge, according to the partners.

Depot operators determine prices, access rules, and availability on their own, while BGL Charge handles marketing, access management, billing, and payment processing. The solution works independently of charging hardware, backends, and vehicle manufacturers.

"Our members need a charging infrastructure that is predictable, available, and cost-effective," says Dirk Engelhardt, spokesperson for the BGL board of directors. "With BGL Charge, we are creating a common solution for the entire industry and marking an important milestone on the path to widespread truck charging infrastructure. The more companies share their depot capacities, the stronger the network becomes for everyone."

E.L.V.I.S. AG supports BGL Charge and integrates its community of over 250 partner companies at more than 350 locations into this industry solution. As a purchasing community, it aggregates the demand of its partner companies and represents their interests within BGL Charge. This model follows a partnership between Depotcharge and the Swiss transport association ASTAG, whose ASTAG Charge powered by Depotcharge network has been in operation since May.

"The concept behind Depotcharge is simple: freight forwarders share their loading infrastructure, thereby unlocking overall economic potential. This idea can be perfectly applied to associations, from members for members, with clear benefits for all involved," said Joscha Specks, CEO and co-founder of Depotcharge. "In Switzerland, we have already successfully implemented this model with ASTAG. Together with BGL e.V. and E.L.V.I.S. AG, we are now bringing it to Germany. Our goal for the next two years is to build, together with our association partners, the leading loading network for electric freight transport in DACH and Benelux."

Depotcharge has completed a pre-seed financing round of 2.7 million euros. With this capital, the platform aims to further develop its infrastructure, focusing on international expansion, reservation systems, open interfaces, and integration with existing transportation management systems.

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About the author

Thomas Langenbucher is an expert in electromobility with experience in the automotive and financial industries. Since 2011, he has been covering electric vehicles, sustainable technologies, and mobility solutions for ecomento.de. Learn more.

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