The transportation industry is increasingly investing in electric commercial vehicles. But the actual transformation process only begins once the vehicles are ordered. For this reason, GP JOULE GmbH, based in Reußenköge, North Frisia, has now presented solutions for the cost-effective charging of electric trucks at company facilities. “Many companies initially focus on the vehicles themselves. However, for the cost-effective operation of an electric fleet, it is crucial how energy is supplied, stored, and managed at the depot,” says Dr. Fabian Sösemann, Managing Director at GP JOULE CONNECT. The company supports transportation companies along the entire value chain—from analysis and planning through implementation to the operation of the infrastructure.

The steadily increasing number of electric commercial vehicles is driving up the demand for charging capacity and placing greater demands on energy availability. This presents companies with new challenges regarding grid connection, energy costs, and operational safety. GP JOULE takes a holistic approach and views the depot as an integrated energy system comprising charging infrastructure, grid connection, photovoltaics, battery storage, and smart energy management. The goal is to make optimal use of existing resources, sustainably reduce the fleet’s total costs, and simultaneously ensure the operational safety of the energy system.

The foundation for this is laid as early as the planning phase. Instead of viewing charging points in isolation, GP JOULE analyzes driving profiles, idle times, energy requirements, and site conditions to design the infrastructure precisely to meet specific needs. Even during ongoing operations, the interaction of all components is continuously optimized to ensure long-term efficiency, availability, and cost-effectiveness.

GP JOULE illustrates the potential of this approach with a real-world example: By combining charging infrastructure with a photovoltaic system, battery storage, and load management, the required grid connection capacity for ten electric trucks was reduced from 1,650 to 950 kilowatts. At the same time, charging costs fell by 42 percent.

“Anyone looking to electrify their fleet shouldn’t start by thinking about charging points. The key question is how vehicles, energy supply, and infrastructure can work together economically,” emphasizes Henning Krix, Head of Sales & Marketing at GP JOULE CONNECT.

In addition to lower energy and operating costs, the smart depot infrastructure opens up further economic opportunities. These include revenue from GHG allowances, energy-related marketing models, and, in the future, the opening of charging infrastructure to third parties. As a result, the depot is evolving from a mere cost factor into an active component of corporate strategy and the energy transition.