ESPORG announced the launch of the voluntary Green parking standard at the MACBETH Workshop – Multipoint Megawatt Charging for Battery Electric Truck Hubs, an EU-funded Horizon project implemented by ALICE – Alliance for Logistics Innovation Through Collaboration in Europe. The online workshop, held on 28 January 2026, marked the end of the project’s first year and presented the results of an extensive interview campaign focused on the deployment of megawatt charging systems (MCS) for battery-electric trucks.
Notably, ESPORG’s contribution was formally included in the MACBETH Workshop Report as an industry benchmark, underlining the relevance of its work on sustainable truck parking and charging infrastructure.
ESPORG Green Parking Standards highlighted as industry benchmark
During the workshop’s interactive consultation on best practices, ESPORG highlighted the launch of its Green Parking Standard, an initiative designed to address the growing challenges of safe, sustainable and space-efficient truck parking in Europe. This contribution was subsequently reflected in the official MACBETH report, where ESPORG’s approach is referenced as an industry benchmark:
“Respondents also mentioned that frontrunners in the sector can serve as valuable references. For example, the European Organisation for Safe and Secure Truck Parking Areas (ESPORG) have launched the Voluntary Green Truck Parking Standard. This new standard builds upon the existing EU Safe and Secure Truck Parking Area (SSTPA) by adding a comprehensive sustainability dimension. It allows parking‑area operators to establish, improve, demonstrate, and monitor their contribution to greener, more sustainable freight transport.
The standard features four levels, each achieved by fulfilling a set of criteria. Initial criteria focus on operational aspects, such as real‑time charging availability, charging‑speed information, reservation systems, and adequate lighting. Higher‑level criteria incorporate sustainability requirements, including installing solar roofs in parking areas and providing emission‑intensity information.”
Key Findings from the MACBETH Workshop
The MACBETH interview campaign engaged 65 organisations, including ESPORG members like TIP, Mowiz, Tank & Rast and Milence. The findings offer a comprehensive snapshot of the current state and future outlook of megawatt charging for heavy-duty electric transport.
Among the key insights presented:
- Readiness timeline:
65% of participants believe that MCS could be ready to support long-haul operations at scale by 2030. - Fleet electrification plans:
90% of interviewed stakeholders plan to expand their electric fleets within the next five years, with several targeting 30–50% electrification. - Long-haul challenges:
Despite growing ambition, 71% of respondents consider long-haul electrification not yet feasible, primarily due to infrastructure limitations and current vehicle capabilities.
Infrastructure Constraints and the Lack of Parking areas Remain Critical Barriers
The workshop highlighted the as major barriers to MCS deployment:
- Grid capacity and energy availability
- Land acquisition and space constraints
A recurring issue raised by participants concerns the lack of adequate truck parking, particularly along major corridors. As noted in the report: “On highways in Germany, for example, trucks often struggle to find a place to park during their breaks and the footprint of the hardware components for charging makes us lose a lot of space. We have seen effective space losses of 20–30%, even up to 50%, due to the infrastructure.”
Charging Locations and Future Hub Design
The workshop identified three main charging locations shaping current and future operations:
- Depot charging, serving as the backbone for reliability and cost control
- En-route corridor charging, aligned with mandatory breaks and appropriate amenities
- Destination charging, at client or third-party sites, offering potential but raising safety, access and coordination challenges
Public charging sites must meet high safety and security standards (clear boundaries, lighting, monitoring, controlled access, emergency procedures) and must provide basic amenities such as covered parking, toilets, food and rest facilities with sufficient capacity for trucks.
Looking ahead, participants discussed the coexistence of MCS (Megawatt Charging Systems ) and CCS (Combined Charging Systems). Truck OEMs expect both technologies to operate in parallel during a long transition phase, likely extending until around 2040. While MCS will be essential for high-energy, time-critical use cases—such as long-haul operations with short dwell times—CCS is expected to remain dominant for rigid trucks, vans and overnight charging, particularly as CCS technology progresses towards 800–1000 kW capabilities.
As megawatt charging infrastructure develops, the integration of safe, secure, sustainable truck parking will remain a prerequisite for successful deployment. Macbeth report mentions that Secure truck parks, logistics clusters near motorways and port areas should be recognised as priority candidates for public or semi-public HDV/MCS hubs when sufficient grid capacity and space are available.
