Milence opens HGV charging hub at Belgian Volvo plant
In the Belgian city of Ghent, both Volvo Trucks and the independent car manufacturer Volvo Cars operate plants. According to the announcement, the new Milence site is located ‘directly at the Schansakker exit of the R4’ – the same exit that leads to the Volvo Trucks plant. This comes as little surprise, given that the parent company Volvo Group, along with Daimler Truck and Traton, is one of the three shareholders of Milence. However, the car plant of Volvo Cars (including the EX30) is also situated on the R4, just a few kilometres away. As a result, battery-electric HGVs supplying this plant can use the new Milence charging hub without significant detours.
In the first phase, the site offers four CCS charging points, each with a capacity of up to 400 kW. In the second phase, Milence plans to integrate MCS technology. This upgrade is expected to reduce charging times for large HGV batteries to between 30 and 45 minutes – for example, a 600 kWh battery in a long-haul electric truck would typically take around an hour and a half to charge at 400 kW. However, since HGV batteries are rarely completely empty upon arrival at the charging station, significant amounts of energy can still be replenished with 400 kW during a 45-minute break.
The port of Ghent is connected to the North Sea via a canal, which is why the new charging station is part of the TEN-T North Sea-Mediterranean corridor. This strategic location enables Milence to support electric road transport along this key route. The company states that the hub strengthens connections between Belgium and major logistics regions in France, the Netherlands, and Germany. Additional Milence charging hubs are located at the port of Antwerp-Zeebrugge (two) and one in Maasmechelen.
As is typical for Milence stations, the charging hub in Ghent is designed as a drive-through solution for heavy-duty HGVs. Nearby, there are ‘sanitary facilities for comfortable breaks’. Charging sessions can be paid for via contactless direct payments, charging cards from roaming providers, or the Milence Charge Card. At the end of last year, Milence transitioned from its previously uniform pricing model across Europe to a system that adjusts tariffs to ‘local energy costs’ and operational conditions. As a result, the charging price in Belgium has decreased to €0.379/kWh (net).
“Ghent is a key logistics gateway, and this new hub strengthens our network along Europe’s main freight corridors,” said Anja van Niersen, CEO of Milence. “Developed in close collaboration with the Volvo Group, it shows how industry partnerships can accelerate the transition to zero-emission road transport while responding to evolving market needs. Our goal is to further support this acceleration by expanding our network and making electric trucking simple and cost-efficient for fleet operators.”
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