Who is the CPO? Exploring the role of the Charge Point Operator in electrified logistics systems

Abstract

Electrification of freight transport is a way to heavily reduce the freight sector's environmental impact. However, charging of electric trucks is a major challenge, and charge point operator (CPO) thereby become crucial in electrified logistics systems. This study explored different actors in the position of CPO, what is required, and what roles they take. An embedded case study was used, based on interviews with 20 respondents. The results show that a wide variety of actors can position themselves as CPO and in different charging set-ups, where, for example, logistics service providers (LSPs) could utilize private charging at terminal, while also offer public charging along the road network. Other actors expected to take a role as CPO include shipper, fuel stations, energy companies, and truck manufacturers. In terms of resources, activities, and interaction for CPOs, these coincided to a large extent among actors, such as necessary possession of charging hardware and software, and necessary interaction power grid actors. Furthermore, this study suggests five distinctive roles of CPOs that actors take: gatekeeper, accessory provider, contributor, facilitator, and orchestrator. By focusing on the unexplored role of CPO, this study has important implications for both research and practice.