For the mass deployment of electric trucks, the FLEXMCS project aims to overcome challenges regarding the acceleration of the roll out of charging infrastructure, in expanding grid capacity and available charging infrastructure. FLEXMCS designs highly energy-efficient megawatt-charging hubs with multiport chargers, which improve the utilisation and can be used flexible, for HDVs during fast charging, but also at night for slower charging and for light vehicles. The project will integrate renewable energy sources in the charging hub to minimize energy losses and grid impact. Furthermore, the project will develop tools for optimal utilisation of charging infrastructure and user convenience. An Open Charging Framework architecture, will create real-time data exchange between CPOs and truck, to match the supply and demand of charging infrastructure. Part of the project is also the streamlining of the planning and installation of new charging hubs, identification of optimal geographical locations along TEN-T corridors and optimizing hub architecture and layout, and addressing technical and non-technical barriers. FLEXMCS will demonstrate and assess the FLEXMCS megawatt-charging hub concept and upscaling strategy, validating technology effectiveness and formulating business cases. The project partners include Vrije Universiteit Brussel as the coordinator, along with Hitachi Energy, JEMA Energy as charging infrastructure suppliers, ElaadNL representing grid operators, IVECO spa and DAF trucks regarding the interoperability for trucks, Bosch Service Solutions GmbH for access and control systems on the charging hub, Alfen for stationary energy storage, Ricardo, TNO, IDIADA Automotive Technology SA and Austrian Institute of Technology for the development of tools and algorithms, and ALICE and Gruber Logistics SPA for giving an end-user perspective on all systems.

The volume of the commercial freight sector is expected to increase towards 2050, especially in the medium to heavy truck modes (N2 and N3 type). However, in parallel to that, the recent European climate goals bring challenges for the transport sector. Given the fact that the typical vehicle development cycles can be of 5-7 years, an immediate collective and collaborative action from the research organizations, business strategists, technology companies and OEMs is necessary. The result of this would be to attain high-TRL concepts that are ready to roll out in the European and global market, where there is more room for a gradual adoption at the consumer side. In any case, given the fact that there are substantial technological and business steps are being taken in the zero-emission transport field, the next 30 years towards 2050 potentially requires more dramatic changes than the last 30 years (i.e., since 1990). NextETRUCK aims to address different optimization challenges regarding tomorrows urban and suburban logistics for medium duty vehicles into systems-approach that is reliable, strongly integrated, affordable, and flexible enough to re-applied to different applications via dedicated tools/methods. The overarching objective of the NextETRUCK project is to play a pioneering role in the decarbonization of the vehicle fleets, via demonstrating next generation e-mobility concepts consisting of holistic, innovative, affordable, competitive and synergetic zero emission vehicles and ecosystems for tomorrows medium freight haulage, while aiming significant leap of knowledge at component, vehicle, fleet, infrastructure and ecosystem levels, via innovations at e-powertrain components and architectures, smart charging infrastructure and management, improved thermal design of the cabin, fleet management systems with IoT and digital tools.

FLEXITRANSTORE project shall develop a next generation of Flexible Energy Grid (FEG), which provides the technical basis to support the valorisation of flexibility services, enhancing the existing European Internal Energy Market (IEM). This FEG addresses the capability of a power system to maintain continuous service in the face of rapid and large swings in supply or demand, whatever the cause. Thus, a wholesale market infrastructure and new business models within this integrated FEG should be upgraded to network players, incentivize new ones to join, while demonstrating new business perspectives for cross border resources management and energy trading. The strategic objectives of FLEXITRANSTORE are: to enhance and accelerate the integration of renewables into European energy systems and to increase cross border electricity flows across Europe. Flexibility is one of the keys to meeting these strategic objectives. A range of state-of-the-art ICT technologies / control improvements will be exploited to enhance the flexibility of this novel energy grid while increasing the utility of the existing infrastructure by integrating storage and demand response management. From a market perspective, state-of-the-art ICT technologies / control improvements will be applied to develop an enhanced market model on an integrated platform, for flexibility services and to support cross border auctioning and trading of energy. The FEG components and the digital market infrastructure will be deployed in 8 Demonstrations which will take place in 6 countries (Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Slovenia, Belgium, Spain), focusing on illustrating specific functions and serving real needs and existing challenges.