Enova releases first funding for electric truck charging hubs in Norway

A graphic reveals Mer, Circle K, St1, Tungbil Lading and Fastcharge as benefactors. They will set up 19 locations offering 108 charge points for electric trucks. 

Enova has already defined four corridors in southern Norway and expects completion in spring 2025 at the latest. Enova writes that the Oslo-Svinesund, Oslo-Stavanger, Oslo-Bergen, and Oslo-Trondheim routes are all roads heavily congested by heavy goods traffic today. The agency also supports the installation of three charging hubs outside these corridors.

The managing director of Enova, Nils Kristian Nakstad, said he believes the market will welcome these new “on-the-go chargers”. He adds that it is a “mature market with professional players”. 

So professional or eager, Enova received bids in which the companies did not expect funding. “We had expected strong competition, and it was a pleasant surprise that some players applied for commitments with NOK 0 in the desired support,” said Nakstad. “We believe that certain locations are considered so attractive (by certain actors) that the actors want to establish without support from Enova. This shows that the market has great faith in a future with electric trucks,” he said. 

In Norway, just under two per cent of trucks are emission-free, but over 10% of new trucks sold are electric, and the country wants the complete transition fast. The previous target in the National Transport Plan was for half of new trucks to be emission-free by 2030. However, the Norwegian Environmental Protection Agency had recommended that this target be updated and that ambitions be raised. Parliament followed suit in December, bringing the 100% electric sales target to 2030. 

In today’s news, Enova stresses that these charging stations will be a prerequisite for this to be possible, and the agency had foreseen this. Enova announced the e-truck infrastructure programme this summer.

Organised as a competition, the scheme has up to four annual application deadlines. The first round ended on 16 October, resulting in these first grants and five winners. 

Each charging location must have at least four connections, each offering 350 kW of power. Support can be up to 80% of the approved costs, limited to ten million kronor (equivalent to 856,000 euros).

Enova plans for the support programme to run until the summer of 2025.

The Ministry of Climate and Environment owns the state enterprise. Established in 2001, its task is to promote a shift towards more environmentally friendly energy consumption and production and the development of energy and climate technology.

“The transition to zero-emission trucks is one of the most important measures to cut Norwegian emissions,” said Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen. “The proportion of electric trucks has increased significantly in recent years (…). Through Enova, we ensure that the first chargers are in place.”

kommunikasjon.ntb.no (in Norwegian)