ABB E-mobility and Oreve to deploy 12 new electric truck charging sites in France by 2028

ABB E-mobility and French charge point operator Oreve have announced an expansion of their partnership to develop 12 new public high-power charging sites across France, with a particular focus on electric trucks and long-distance freight transport.

The new facilities, expected to be fully deployed by the end of 2028, will provide approximately 100 charging points and a combined installed capacity of 18 MW. The agreement also includes the upgrading of existing sites as demand for electric vehicle charging increases.

The two companies have been working together for three years and have already deployed six charging sites along major French transport routes. These include Bourg-de-Péage, on the Valence–Grenoble axis, Vénissieux, near the Lyon logistics hub, and Pardies, in south-western France.

Under the expanded agreement, ABB E-mobility will supply charging equipment, cloud-based management systems and technical support services, including remote monitoring.

From 400 kW charging to the Megawatt Charging System

The new installations will initially feature ABB E-mobility‘s A400 charging systems, capable of dynamically distributing up to 400 kW between two charging points.

Starting in early 2027, the infrastructure will also incorporate the company’s M-Series modular charging technology, designed to allow operators to progressively increase the available power as demand grows.

The system enables charging sites to expand from an initial capacity of 400 kW to a configuration delivering up to 1.2 MW of total power, by adding power modules and connecting up to 24 dispensers without having to redesign the entire underlying infrastructure.

An important element is compatibility with both the Combined Charging System (CCS) and the Megawatt Charging System (MCS), the charging standard being developed for heavy-duty electric vehicles requiring particularly high charging power.

Both the A400 units and the M-Series dispensers use liquid-cooled cables to manage the high electrical currents involved in truck charging. According to ABB E-mobility, the systems can handle currents of up to 600 A and 800 A, respectively.

The first MCS-compatible installation within the Oreve network is scheduled for 2027, although the companies have not yet disclosed its location.

France prepares to expand its electric truck charging infrastructure

The agreement comes as France prepares for a substantial expansion of public charging infrastructure dedicated to heavy-duty vehicles.

The country’s national road-network charging plan envisages approximately 8,000 truck charging points at around 560 motorway rest and service areas by 2035, with a combined charging capacity of approximately 1.6 GW.

For transport operators, the development of public high-power charging infrastructure represents an important complement to depot charging, particularly for long-haul operations where vehicles must recharge during journeys.

Oreve, which belongs to the French Ortec Group, is developing a public charging network serving passenger cars, light commercial vehicles and heavy-duty trucks. The operator aims to establish 150 public charging stations across France by 2030.

The latest agreement with ABB E-mobility represents another step in that expansion. However, the 12 additional sites are still planned rather than operational, and the companies have not disclosed the financial value of the investment.

The project highlights the growing focus on scalable charging infrastructure, designed to accommodate the increasing power requirements of electric trucks without requiring operators to install maximum charging capacity from the outset.