eHGV navigation: eTrucker app gains new features

In 2025, electromobility entrepreneur Tobias Wagner and his team developed eTrucker - a charging navigation app for electric trucks. Now, the app's creators are rolling out a major update that enables users to better plan breaks, as well as access charging card recommendations.

Over the past two years, ‘electric trucker’ Tobias Wagner has covered more than 200,000 km across Europe in various battery-electric HGVs – and has seen countless charging parks firsthand. During his travels, he noticed a significant information gap: drivers wanting to charge their HGVs often did not know where to go. To address this, last year he and his team launched the eTrucker app – an app designed to identify HGV-compatible charging points. The community plays a key role in updating and expanding the app’s data. We reviewed how effectively this new tool navigates electric HGVs to suitable chargers over on electrive’s German edition a year ago.

The developers have now announced a major update for the app which expands its functionality beyond the basics. Here’s an overview of the new features:

Plan breaks: From 45-minute stops to 9-hour breaks, everything can now be scheduled with a single click in the overall route planner. The starting point is freely selectable, and intermediate destinations can be rearranged via drag-and-drop.

Fleet pairing via pairing code: No username or password is required. Simply enter the code in the eTrucker Manager, and the device will instantly display the fleet’s pricing categories and charging cards.

Charging card recommendations per location: The app now provides clear recommendations for charging cards according to location. If multiple charging cards are stored, it also shows which cards work as alternatives – including respective pricing categories.

Pricing categories for all charging stations: Drivers can see at a glance how much charging will cost. Those who prefer can hide expensive charging parks and view only the more affordable locations.

Community feedback mode revamped: Users can now submit feedback about charging parks directly from the app. The developers describe this as “the foundation for the best HGV charging data quality in Europe.”

Detachment times now included in planning: At charging points where detaching the trailer is necessary or recommended, the app automatically calculates a buffer (indicated by a ‘+8’ note on the map pin or ‘8 min extra for detachment’) into the total travel time.

The app’s developers clarify that they use TomTom Truck Routes on Google Maps for route planning. “It’s expensive for us, but it’s the best solution that works on the road,” emphasised Michael Clarke, one of the app’s managers. Importantly, the eTrucker app is explicitly intended to remain free. “Because we want to show that the charging infrastructure is already more than sufficient,” says Clarke, who also hints: “Fleets that want to go a step further and charge in a price-optimised way are welcome to contact us about the eTrucker Manager—more on this in a few weeks.” This suggests that the developers may soon launch a paid add-on service.

Regarding the state of Germany’s HGV charging network, electrive recently published a comprehensive overview article as part of Truck Charging Week. Data from the eTrucker app, as of 1 July 2026, lists nearly 700 HGV-compatible locations across Germany. Here are the details:

154 HGV charging locations in Germany without detachment (‘drive-through‘): This number includes both HGV-exclusive sites and passenger car locations with sufficient space. The top five operators listed by the eTrucker app are Aral Pulse Truck (33), Aral Pulse (17), Milence (10), Shell Recharge (10), and E.ON Drive (7). Of these 154 locations, seven are equipped with at least one MCS plug. Specifically, these are: HoLa/Lipperland Süd, Aral in Buchholz, Hannover, Schnaittach, and Rastow, as well as Energie Südbayern/Dettendoerfer near Langenbruck and ESG Solar near Kassel.

158 HGV-compatible locations where detachment is recommended, but where there is enough space to charge without detaching if it is not busy. The top five operators here are Aral Pulse PKW (34), EnBW (21), Ionity (11), and Autostrom Plus (9).

387 HGV-compatible locations where detachment is always mandatory, but where there is an HGV parking space nearby to leave the trailer. The leading operators in this category are EnBW (64), Ionity (52), Shell Recharge (50), and Aral Pulse PKW (49).