The eCargo project promotes emission reductions in truck and van traffic by developing a public EV charging network.
Goals
- Increase cities’ understanding of the needs and bottlenecks of electrifying truck and van traffic.
- Initiate targeted cooperation between cities, the transport sector, the automotive companies, and charging operators.
- Act as a complementary force to logistics companies’ depot charging and the charging points required by the AFIR regulation in urban areas.
The eCargo project focuses on the electrification of regional logistics – which in practice in the Helsinki area means within Ring III. The project focuses on large vans that do not fit in passenger car charging spaces and trucks without trailers, such as delivery trucks. eCargo aims to produce data and collaboration opportunities to promote charging solutions.
The project involves data collection and analysis, ecosystem work, and learning and communication. The data section will investigate how to obtain data of existing (diesel) vans and trucks on their parking – which will be potential charging locations of existing (diesel) vans and trucks and compile a heatmap of these. In addition, the project will acquire vehicle fleet data, which will reveal how the vehicle fleet is being electrified and what the cars’ charging capacities and charging port locations are. A concrete action is to test the usability of existing public charging points and what size vans can currently charge there.
The ecosystem work focuses on bringing stakeholders together at events, workshops, and visits. Cities will gain an understanding of charging needs and develop the necessary permit processes for charging points. The most important task of the learnings and communications section is to disseminate the results at the end of the project and compile a concept handbook for cities on EV charging trucks and vans. In addition, this section will ensure that a broad network is gathered around the topic and that dialogue continues after the project.
The goal is that after the project, it will be known where there is a need and, on the other hand, where it is possible to build public charging points for heavy traffic, after which these charging points will begin to be implemented and companies and cities will begin to acquire a large amount of electric transport vehicles.
Duration, partners, and funding
- The project will be implemented between 1/2025 and 6/2026.
- Forum Virium Helsinki is the coordinator, and the City of Espoo and Metropolia University of Applied Sciences are the co-implementers.
- The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and its specific objective 2.1, which focuses on promoting energy efficiency measures and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Role of Forum Virium Helsinki
Forum Virium Helsinki acts as the coordinator of the project and the leader of data work and communications.
Benefits for Helsinki
eCargo aims to promote the electrification of truck and van traffic in Helsinki and the metropolitan area. The project supports the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) and Helsinki’s carbon neutrality targets.
Sustainability
The eCargo project promotes sustainable transport and emission reduction measures by improving charging opportunities for trucks and vans in Helsinki, thus making it easier for companies to convert their truck and van fleets to lower emission vehicles. The project is guided by the cities’ carbon neutrality targets.