The gates are now open for Circle K’s charging and hydrogen filling station in the Port of Gothenburg. The station is the first of its kind in the Nordic region and has been built from a heavy trucks perspective, with the intention of facilitating the green transition for heavy goods traffic in and around the Port of Gothenburg, according to the company's release.
During the opening ceremony, four heavy electric trucks and an electric bus took the opportunity to charge their batteries simultaniously at the new station.
The station will form a new hub of the port for facilitating the transition from fossil to electricity and alternative fuels for heavy goods traffic. Initially there will be six public charging stations for electrically powered heavy trucks, with a capacity of up to 360 kW per charging bay. Having several charging bays at the same location means not only increased capacity, but also shorter waiting times. Within one year there will be hydrogen available at the station, a real fuel of the future that only emits heat and water.
Over one million heavy trucks collect or deliver goods at the Port of Gothenburg every year. The port has conducted a study of the driving patterns of the heavy trucks together with Volvo Group, Scania and Stena Line in the collaboration initiative Tranzero. A large proportion of heavy trucks have been identified as particularly suitable for the fossil-free transition here and now, and a public station for charging and hydrogen in the heart of the port will be a key enabler.
In addition to fossil-free fuels, the station is a full-service station offering everything users need while their vehicle is charging, such as a wide range of food and drinks, and of course showers and toilets. Also available is security parking within a fenced area, with CCTV surveillance and room for about 40 heavy trucks. This is a place where drivers who need to can rest for an hour or so, or even overnight, and do so safely – something there is tremendous demand for.
The station is built from a heavy trucks perspective, providing good turning radius and ensuring that all charging bays can be accessed from multiple directions by different kinds of heavy trucks.