30+ E-LKWs im Betrieb
Eine der größten elektrischen Nahverkehrsflotten in Deutschland
2,6 MW Ladegeräte intelligent gesteuert
Auf 1 MW Netzanschluss – ohne Ausbau skaliert
Vision 2027
Komplette Elektrifizierung der Nahverkehrsflotte (60 E-LKWs)
Max Rüdinger
E-Mobility Manager, Rüdinger Spedition
A Family Business with Vision
Rüdinger Spedition is a third-generation family business based in Krautheim, Baden-Württemberg, in the Hohenlohe region.
With around 700 employees and over 220 vehicles, Rüdinger is one of the strong regional logistics partners in Southern Germany. The company specializes in general cargo, partial and full truckloads, and machinery transport, operating over 100,000 m² of warehouse space across six locations.
The vision: By 2028, the entire short-haul fleet (60 vehicles) should be electrified - an ambitious goal that Rüdinger is pursuing consistently. Today, more than 30 electric trucks are already in daily operation.
The Challenge
Rüdinger Spedition operates electric trucks in all size classes: 3.5-ton, 7.5-ton, and 18-ton trucks in day-shift distribution, as well as semi-trailers in two-shift operations. This creates vastly different charging needs: cost-effective, slow charging overnight and fast charging during shift changes. A total of 30 charging points with different maximum charging capacities were installed.
A PV system provides low-cost energy during the day, while a battery storage system can buffer this energy and provide additional power during shift change times. The constraint: The grid connection is limited to 1 MW maximum from the grid operator.
Infrastructure Challenge
Total charging infrastructure capacity significantly exceeds grid connection capacity. The system must ensure consumption never exceeds 1 MW simultaneously
Additional consumers (office buildings and forklift chargers) must also be accounted for
Rapid response to strong fluctuations in PV generation is required
The central question: How do you efficiently organize charging for 30+ trucks within available grid capacity - without manual intervention and without operational interruptions?
Operational Requirements
Vehicles in two-shift operation must be charged quickly during their short availability and prioritized over other charging processes (given limited available power)
Vehicles in single-shift operation can be charged flexibly and cost-optimized overnight
The Rüdinger team must have visibility into charging progress at all times
Battery storage must be controlled to ensure sufficient energy is available at shift change times and can deliver exactly the required power to the chargers
Economic Goals
Massive investments in vehicles and energy infrastructure must be amortized
Vehicles should be charged as cost-effectively as possible, considering PV generation and dynamic spot market electricity rates
Battery storage should buffer PV energy and, when necessary, be filled with grid electricity during the cheapest quarter-hours
Under the framework conditions dictated by operations, the energy bill should be minimized and self-consumption of self-generated energy maximized.
The Approach
ELU Charge manages the control of this extensive system, coordinating activities of all installations at the site.
What ELU Charge controls at the depot
Chargers: Chargers from different manufacturers deliver the assigned charging power to connected vehicles.
Battery Storage (BESS): The battery storage delivers the power required by the chargers and recharges itself in time with PV energy or low-cost grid electricity.
PV System: Charging processes and battery storage are dynamically controlled to maximize self-consumption of PV energy.
Grid Connection: The system continuously monitors grid utilization and ensures the 1 MW limit is never exceeded.
How it works
ELU Charge calculates and re-optimizes in real-time what power to charge connected vehicles with, when to charge or discharge the battery storage, and how to optimally use available PV energy.
The result: Although only 1 MW grid connection capacity is available, significantly higher charging capacity can be enabled. Electricity bills decrease noticeably.
Where Rüdinger Stands Today
30+ Electric Trucks in Daily Operation
Rüdinger operates one of Germany's largest electric short-haul fleets today and is continuously expanding it.
Scaling Without Immediate Grid Expansion
Through intelligent coordination of charging, battery storage, and PV system, the fleet could grow significantly without waiting for grid operator expansion.
Reliable Operation Without Manual Intervention
Vehicles are ready when needed. Charging operations run automatically - progress of all charging processes is conveniently visible on a dashboard.
Transparent Cost Structure
The system precisely records from which sources and at what costs each vehicle was charged. This enables precise cost control and pricing for different operations.
On the Path to Complete Electrification
With strong infrastructure and reliable control, the foundations for further electric fleet growth are established.
