How much does it cost to charge an electric truck per kilometre?
To work out what charging an electric truck really costs, do not start with a generic electricity price. Start with your own invoices, route data, charging records and supplier quotations.
The calculation itself is straightforward:
Net charging cost per kilometre = (all annual charging costs minus the ERE payment actually received) ÷ kilometres driven.
The formula is the easy part. The real work is deciding which costs belong in it.
Want this calculated for your own fleet? Explore our quick scans and advisory services, or contact us for an initial assessment.
Collect these figures first
- kilometres driven per truck;
- metered charging energy per truck or charge point;
- electricity and network operator invoices;
- investment in chargers, cabling, distribution equipment and civil works;
- financing costs and the chosen depreciation period;
- maintenance, software, connectivity and breakdown support;
- invoices for public charging;
- the net ERE payment agreed in your contract.
If you do not operate an electric truck yet, use scenarios and state every assumption. Before making an investment decision, replace assumptions with measurements, contracts and firm quotations.
Why energy will shape your operation
With diesel, planning revolves mainly around vehicles, drivers and routes. Electric transport adds two more resources that must be planned: energy and charging time.
Your grid connection limits how many trucks can charge at once. Vehicle dwell time determines how many charging hours are available. Within that window, the charging system must deliver enough energy for the next shift.
This means that cheap electricity alone does not guarantee a workable operation. A haulier can still run into trouble because insufficient power is available at the right time. Another operator using the same trucks may achieve a lower cost per kilometre through better charging windows, a suitable grid connection and more effective use of the charging site.
Urban logistics expert Walther Ploos van Amstel has described this changing competitive landscape: access to energy, space and finance will increasingly influence which transport companies can grow and compete.
The practical question is therefore simple: will every truck be ready to leave each morning, fully charged at a cost that leaves room for a margin?
Calculate charging cost in five lines
| Step | Add or subtract |
|---|---|
| 1 | Electricity, energy taxes and network charges |
| 2 | Annual financing and depreciation of the charging site |
| 3 | Management, maintenance, software, metering and breakdown support |
| 4 | Public charging and demonstrable costs caused by outages or detours |
| 5 | Subtract only the net ERE payment actually received |
Divide the result by the number of kilometres driven. This gives you the net charging cost per kilometre.
To compare the full cost of different vehicles, also include purchase or lease costs, vehicle maintenance, insurance, taxes and levies, residual value and any effect on utilisation.
Worked example for one truck
This example shows the method. The figures are not market averages. Use your own data for an actual business case.
| Item | Example figure |
|---|---|
| Annual distance | 100,000 km |
| Metered charging energy | 110,000 kWh |
| Electricity, taxes and network charges | €24,200 |
| Financing and depreciation of the charging site | €7,700 |
| Management, maintenance, software and metering | €2,200 |
| Public charging and demonstrable consequential costs | €1,650 |
| Total charging cost before ERE | €35,750 |
In this example, charging costs €0.358 per kilometre and €0.325 per metered kWh.
If an agreement states that the business will receive a net ERE payment of €5,000, the net annual charging cost falls to €30,750, or €0.308 per kilometre.
The €5,000 is only an assumption used to demonstrate the calculation. In your own business case, include only an amount supported by a contract.
Then check whether the trucks will be ready on time
A low price per kilowatt-hour is of little value if a truck has insufficient energy at departure. You must therefore calculate the charging power required as well.
Average charging power required = charging energy required ÷ available charging window.
Ten trucks requiring 300 kWh each need 3,000 kWh in total. With a ten-hour charging window, the arithmetic average is 300 kW.
That is not yet a design value. Arrival and departure times, charging curves, losses, contingency and simultaneous demand must be modelled separately.
Do not simply add together the rated power of every charger. Start with the energy required and the time available. Select the chargers afterwards.
For a practical method, read how to translate routes and operating hours into charging demand.
ERE: include it, but do not count on it too early
Until the end of 2025, the Dutch system used HBE units. From 2026, the Dutch Emissions Authority uses Emission Reduction Units, or EREs. Electricity supplied to transport generates ERE-E.
The electricity must demonstrably have been supplied to transport and metered in accordance with the rules. The Dutch Emissions Authority identifies three possible arrangements: a connection used exclusively for transport, a secondary allocation point, or integrated MID-certified meters in the charge points.
A company may register electricity independently once it supplies at least 2 million kWh a year. Below this threshold, registration takes place through a registration service provider.
Ask any service provider to submit a proposal that states at least:
- how the net payment is calculated;
- which fees and costs are deducted;
- when payment is made;
- who retains ownership of the metering data;
- who bears the risk of later corrections.
The value of EREs is not fixed. Include only the net payment actually received, and do not treat historical HBE proceeds as guaranteed future income.
Do not overlook breakdowns
A charging site is part of the transport operation. Agree in advance:
- who automatically detects a fault;
- who can be reached outside office hours;
- the agreed response time;
- the agreed repair time;
- which spare parts are held in stock;
- where trucks can charge if the system is unavailable.
Compare suppliers on more than purchase price. Include maintenance, availability, backup options and demonstrable consequential costs.
What Green Fellows can calculate for you
Green Fellows does not sell charging equipment. We start by mapping the operation and its energy supply.
A quick scan provides insight into:
- charging energy by truck and route category;
- the simultaneous charging power required;
- whether the existing grid connection can support the plan;
- charging cost per kilometre;
- ERE and metering requirements;
- a realistic phasing plan for vehicles and infrastructure;
- the main risks relating to management and availability.
We can then prepare a concept design, run a market enquiry and compare suppliers on technical and commercial grounds. Explore our services for transport and construction companies and our projects.
Want to know what charging will really cost for your fleet? Contact us about a quick scan.
