Routing & Charging Mechanics¶
In VoltFracht, your electric trucks navigate European road networks autonomously once dispatched. Successful logistics dispatching relies on understanding how battery state-of-charge (SoC), topography, weather, and charging station availability interact along the route.
1. Autonomous Route Planning & OSRM¶
VoltFracht utilizes a self-hosted Open Source Routing Machine (OSRM) server to calculate real-world truck paths across 31 European nations.
- Turn-by-Turn Navigation: Trucks follow real road geometry rather than straight-line distances.
- Live Traffic Delays: Real-time traffic feeds from HERE Technologies adjust estimated travel durations and introduce congestion delays.
- Automatic Stop Selection: The routing engine calculates energy demand and places mandatory charging stops before the vehicle's battery depletes.
2. Battery State-of-Charge & Energy Physics¶
A vehicle's effective driving range is dynamically calculated based on three core physical factors:
| Factor | Primary Driver | In-Game Simulation Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Payload Weight | Cargo tonnage class (7.5t–44t) | Heavier freight increases energy consumption per kilometer. |
| SRTM Topography | Mountain pass elevation data | Uphill climbs drain battery power rapidly; downhill sections recuperate energy. |
| Weather Cycle | Daily temperature fluctuations | Extreme cold or heat increases internal battery resistance and HVAC power draw. |
Mountain Elevation (SRTM)¶
Using NASA Shuttle Radar Topography Mission elevation models, driving over mountain passes like the Alps or Pyrenees consumes up to double the normal kWh per kilometer during climbs. Conversely, steep descents trigger regenerative braking, feeding electricity back into the battery pack.
Temperature & HVAC Impact¶
The internal weather engine simulates real European daily temperature cycles. Low ambient temperatures reduce chemical battery efficiency and require battery pre-heating, while hot summer days trigger high cooling demands. Both extremes shorten the vehicle's maximum range between charges.
3. Charging Infrastructure & OpenChargeMap¶
VoltFracht maps over 12'000 real-world European charging locations and 58'000 charge points using OpenChargeMap infrastructure data.
Charging Power & Speeds¶
Charging stations offer varying maximum power outputs ranging up to 600 kW. A higher kilowatt output significantly reduces the time your truck remains stationary at a charging station.
Live Plug Status & Queueing¶
Every charging location tracks real-time plug occupancy:
- Free Plugs: The truck hooks up immediately and begins charging.
- Occupied Plugs: If all plugs are busy upon arrival, the truck enters a waiting queue with a live countdown timer until a charging bay opens.
Configurable Wait Time¶
Under Settings → "Wait at occupied station" you set how long a truck waits at an occupied charger: 5, 15, 30, or 60 real minutes (default: 30). At the game's 20× time scale that is roughly 2, 5, 10, or 20 game hours.
Tip
Shorter waiting is not automatically better: the truck then leaves earlier uncharged, which can make the next charger unreachable. While it waits, tap the station in the route view and pick another one — that is more reliable than waiting for the replanner.
ENTSO-E Electricity Costs¶
Charging expenses are calculated dynamically based on daily spot market electricity prices provided by ENTSO-E. Charging in countries with high spot prices directly increases operational expenses and reduces profit margins.
4. Low power (Map-Off Battery Saver)¶
To optimize your device performance and battery consumption during long game sessions, VoltFracht features Low power mode.
- Map Disabling: Toggling low power turns off intensive 3D map rendering vs. map on.
- Client Performance: Drastically reduces GPU/CPU workload and battery drain on mobile devices and web browsers.
- Background Simulation: Trucks continue driving, charging, and earning revenue with full precision while low power mode is active.