DAF Trucks has joined HDV Booking, a newly formed consortium working on setting up a Europe-wide platform for reserving public charging stations specifically for heavy-duty vehicles. The consortium includes various stakeholders such as charging facility providers, transport companies and software developers.

The platform is expected to be fully operational by 2026 and will enable transport companies to find and reserve free charging stations. This enables more efficient route planning and shortens waiting times at charging stations.

Meanwhile, Volvo Trucks has introduced a new service called “Charging Management” to optimize the charging process for electric trucks at company depots.

This service allows fleet operators to manage their vehicles’ charging schedules and ensure that trucks are sufficiently charged and operational according to planned schedules.

The platform also enables real-time monitoring of battery level and charging status as well as detailed reports on charging processes.

This service is designed to improve the productivity and uptime of electric truck fleets by minimizing the need for unplanned charging stops.

Volvo’s recent initiatives also include the Volvo Open Charge service, which helps hauliers find and use public charging stations. The service is currently offered in Sweden and the Netherlands, but plans to expand to other European countries.

Volvo also plans to introduce a booking function in this service soon, which will further support transport companies in route planning and ensure more reliable access to charging facilities.