Czech government to support construction of charging stations for trucks

The government is preparing to financially support the construction of charging points to enable the development of electric mobility in road freight transport. This week it is launching the first call for applications, worth one billion crowns, and is preparing a second with the same amount of funding. However, the government does not plan to provide financial support to carriers buying electric trucks, Transport Minister Martin Kupka (ODS) said today at a conference on electric freight transport in Brno.

According to the government’s plans, charging points should be installed every 60 kilometres along the TEN-T network—that is, on motorways and first-class roads—by 2030. Each site is to have nine chargers, Kupka said. “The infrastructure needs to be competitive with that in neighbouring countries,” he said. In addition to charging stations along major routes, the state wants to support the construction of charging stations at carriers’ depots.

However, representatives of technology and energy companies, as well as Josef Pokorný of the Association of Automobile Importers, warned against getting too far ahead of fleet electrification in building the infrastructure. The reason is the high cost of construction and maintenance. Technology is also developing relatively quickly, and if a charging station were not used enough, its construction and operation might not be economically viable.

Kupka said it is important to closely monitor the development of electric mobility around the world, advances in technology and alternative powertrains, and respond to new developments in time. In his view, the Green Deal and electric mobility need to be approached sensibly, with realistic solutions. “Everyone is thinking about their future and where our children will live. The Green Deal has a different name around the world, but it is heading in the same direction,” Kupka said. He believes it is natural to look for ways to make both industry and transport more sustainable.

Since the state does not intend to support purchases of electric trucks, Kupka and Pokorný said there must be other incentives for carriers to choose an electric truck over a diesel one. Kupka noted that companies in Germany and Austria, for example, already require suppliers and subcontractors to use transport with a zero carbon footprint. Another possible incentive is a reduction in toll charges.