Anja van Niersen, CEO, Milence

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Anja Van Niersen brings a wealth of experience in the charging space to her role as CEO of Milence, a joint venture focused on building a charging infrastructure for heavy-duty trucks in Europe. Before Milence, she was CEO of Allego, the leading European public EV charging network, which means that her twelve years in the industry makes her one of the most experience executives in the space.

Milence was founded by Daimler Truck, Traton (Volkswagen’s trucking affiliate), and Volvo Trucks, in 2022 with 500MM Euros of capital, and it aims to install at least 1,700 high-performance green energy charge points at strategic locations across Europe. Focused on the long-haul market means a route with at least one stop, typically spanning several hundred kilometers.

Key topics covered in this episode include the importance of total cost of operation for logistics companies, the role of regulations and subsidies, safety concerns at truck stops, and the need for new financial instruments to support large-scale energy infrastructure investments. Anja also emphasizes the significance of adopting new technology and standardization in facilitating the transition to zero-emission heavy-duty transport, as well as consumer-driven demand.