In the second webinar session, NextETRUCK partner CENEX NL presented two calculation tools, which were developed in the framework of NextETRUCK. The KITE (Key Infrastructure for Truck Electrification) tool, a freely available solution designed to support depot electrification and charging infrastructure planning, particularly for small and medium-sized fleet operators, and TEIDE (Tool Evaluating Infrastructure Deployment En Route), a decision-support tool developed to assess the viability of public charging infrastructure for heavy-duty vehicles) were introduced.
KITE: your open-source guide to electrification
Rishabh Ghotge provided a positive outlook on the increasing convergence of total cost of ownership (TCO) between electric and diesel trucks, both due to the rapid technological improvement, as well as the rising fossil fuel prices. However, uncertainty around vehicle range, fleet requirements, and infrastructure costs remains a significant barrier to adoption. The KITE tool helps address these challenges by providing reliable estimates of charging infrastructure needs, electrification costs, and vehicle suitability for specific routes.
Used during the planning phase of fleet electrification, KITE enables operators to estimate charging requirements, compare TCO scenarios, identify routes where electric trucks are most cost-effective, and match vehicles to operational needs. While highly customisable and applicable across multiple European countries, the tool currently focuses on single-depot operations and does not account for national or regional subsidies or time-of-use electricity tariffs.
By improving access to practical and transparent information, KITE helps tackle one of the key barriers to fleet electrification: limited awareness and understanding among transport operators.
TEIDE: the next decision-maker
The second part of the webinar featured Greg Payne, who introduced TEIDE’s role in decision-support for the implementation of new heavy-duty charging infrastructure.
TEIDE addresses the challenge of forecasting charging demand and infrastructure utilisation, enabling Charge Point Operators (CPOs) to estimate future site usage, annual energy delivery, and potential revenue streams. Currently covering the UK and the Netherlands, the tool is expected to expand to additional countries in the future.
As Payne highlighted, utilisation is a critical factor in building a viable business case and ensuring the long-term economic sustainability of public charging hubs. By providing robust demand forecasts, TEIDE supports more informed investment decisions and helps accelerate the deployment of charging infrastructure for electric freight transport.