The transition to electric long-haul trucking facilitated by Megawatt Charging Systems (MCS) is essential for the efficient decarbonization of the logistics transport sector. Despite the significant technological progress made, vital challenges for full adoption and scaling of the MCS systems are still to overcome. Addressing the latter though targeted research and innovation piloting activities will be crucial for realizing the full potential of MCS technology towards a significant leap not only in electrifying the commercial transport but for the achievement of broader environmental goals of the Paris Agreement, EU Green Deal and Fitfor55 package of 90% reduction of the emissions by 2040. In response to the challenges, MACBETH—MULTIPOINT MEGAWATT CHARGING FOR BATTERY ELECTRIC TRUCK HUBS aims to pilot and showcase user-centric MCS charging hubs combined with tools that can facilitate the rapid and mass deployment and scale up of such systems in Europe. To address many of technical, social and economic challenges of mass deployment of megawatt chargers MACBETH intends to build two demonstration sites, in Nordics and Benelux area of Europe with the intention to cover various geographic contexts, operational conditions and scenarios, users’ needs, and business cases and provide valuable experiences and learnings for various industrial, research and policies stakeholders for future deployments. With a strong focus on its industrial cluster, MACBETH contributes to the real-world demonstration of charging infrastructure and service offerings for regional and long-haul electric trucks along TEN-T corridors, logistic terminals, and depots covering multiple countries and it is set to deliver system-level multipoint MCS hub concept at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 8 by the end of the project.

SCALE will enable and facilitate the mass deployment of electric vehicles and the accompanying smart charging infrastructure. To do so, SCALE will systematically assess customer expectations, identifying EV-users’ preferences, existing obstacles and potential incentives to charge smartly. By this, SCALE ensures co-creation and -optimisation, preparing for an open smart charging & V2X eco-system that equally benefits users, cities & regions, businesses, and society at large. SCALE brings together leading existing research & innovation initiatives and smart charging demonstration testbeds from across Europe forming a unique knowledge & collaboration platform. The consortium builds upon existing technologies, standards, and protocols as much as possible and focuses on research and developments of the missing and/or incomplete elements and links. The 29 project partners and associated organisations have been carefully selected and have all the necessary scientific, practical, and technical expertise to develop, test & validate and exploit smart charging & V2X solutions. Partners cover the entire value chain and comprise of leading European OEMs, DSO/ TSOs, CPOs, e-mobility service providers, public authorities, research & knowledge partners, EV user associations and European networks & multipliers. Multiple SCALE consortium partners are directly involved in EC’s European Alternative Fuels Observatory & other important European e-mobility initiatives (STF, Clean Bus Europe). SCALE creates a critical mass to develop the technological, regulatory, organisational and legal readiness that is needed for a mass-market. SCALE will initiate a Joint European Procurement for V2X chargers based on open standards, run by 5 European cities. The Open V2X Alliance ensures SCALE’s legacy during and after the project’s lifetime.