Master’s in Heavy-Duty Transport Electrification and Charging Hubs
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in heavy-duty transport electrification and charging hubs: HPC depots, peak management and tariffs. 12 modules covering electric and hydrogen trucks and buses, MCS and CCS charging, hub design and electrical infrastructure, smart charging, AFIR regulation, business models and grid integration, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Heavy-Duty Transport Electrification and Charging Hubs — studying from South Africa
Energy is a defining sector in South Africa, with Eskom operating the bulk of the national generation and transmission network and independent power producers increasingly contributing renewable capacity. Grid modernisation, renewable integration and distribution management create steady demand for engineers. The National Energy Regulator of South Africa oversees electricity regulation, while municipalities manage local distribution. Energy engineers typically work on generation, transmission, protection and system planning.
Fees for South Africa: R 185 000 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Which South African bodies regulate energy and networks engineers, and would SEIUM count?
Energy engineers in South Africa are registered through ECSA, and the electricity sector is regulated by NERSA. Utilities and networks often require registered professionals for certain work. SEIUM is a private online institute, and its qualifications are not official state degrees or accredited by a national body. Recognition is for employers and the relevant body to decide, so verify this before enrolling.
Will this qualification help me find work with energy or network employers in South Africa?
South Africa's energy sector includes Eskom, municipalities, independent power producers and grid-related firms, which typically hire registered and experienced engineers. A private online qualification may support your application but does not guarantee a role. Check with target employers how they view it, and combine it with practical experience where possible.
How do I manage the workload, and can I get help with fees?
The programme is fully online and taught in English, so you need good English, and no student visa is needed to study from home. Master's programmes are 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, with an assigned technical tutor and a final project. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible, so ask your employer whether they would support the cost.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Analyse battery electric and hydrogen heavy-duty vehicle technologies.
Select charging technologies for heavy-duty fleets.
Design charging hubs along logistics corridors.
Size the electrical infrastructure of hubs and depots.
Implement smart charging management strategies.
Apply the AFIR and TEN-T regulatory framework.
Evaluate business models for heavy-duty charging.
Who it's for
- Charging infrastructure engineers moving into high-power and megawatt charging.
- Fleet electrification managers planning the transition of trucks and buses.
- Distribution network engineers handling large new charging connections.
- Logistics hub planners designing depots and corridor sites.
- Hydrogen engineers working on refuelling stations for heavy-duty transport.
- E-mobility consultants advising operators, manufacturers and public bodies.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the logistics sector.
What you'll work with
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 – AFIR (Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation)
- IEC 61851-23 (DC electric vehicle charging stations)
- ISO 15118-20 (vehicle-to-grid communication interface, including bidirectional charging)
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1610 (CO2 emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles)
- OCPP 2.0.1 (Open Charge Point Protocol)
- IEC 63379 – MCS (Megawatt Charging System)
- SAE J3271 (megawatt charging for heavy-duty vehicles)
- MATLAB/Simulink
- PVsyst
- DIgSILENT PowerFactory
- Python with Pyomo
- AutoCAD
12 modules
1.1Road transport emissions1.2CO2 standards for heavy-duty vehicles1.3Battery electric trucks1.4Fuel cell trucks1.5Electric buses and coaches1.6Total cost of ownership1.7Logistics mission profiles1.8Market and manufacturers1.9Barriers to adoption1.10Case study: electrification of a regional delivery fleet
2.1Powertrain architecture2.2Batteries for heavy-duty vehicles2.3Electric motors and e-axles2.4Thermal management systems2.5Range and payload2.6Regenerative braking on the road2.7Electric auxiliary systems2.8High-voltage safety2.9Electric vehicle maintenance2.10Lab: energy consumption of a truck by route
3.1CCS direct current charging3.2Megawatt Charging System standard3.3Overnight depot charging3.4Opportunity charging with pantograph3.5Battery swapping3.6Electric roads with overhead catenary3.7Dynamic inductive charging3.8Technology comparison3.9Interoperability and protocols3.10Practical exercise: technology selection for a fleet
4.1Location of hubs along corridors4.2Charging demand studies4.3Sizing of charging points4.4Layout and manoeuvrability4.5Complementary driver services4.6Secure truck parking areas4.7Civil works and facilities4.8Accessibility and signage4.9Hub scalability4.10Lab: design of a hub on the TEN-T network
5.1Medium-voltage connection5.2Transformer substations5.3Direct current distribution5.4Management of contracted capacity5.5Stationary storage at the hub5.6On-site photovoltaic generation5.7Protection and earthing5.8Quality of supply5.9Hub single-line diagram5.10Practical exercise: electrical scheme of a 10 MW hub
6.1Fleet charging planning6.2Charging management algorithms6.3OCPP communication protocol6.4ISO 15118 standard6.5Integration with fleet management systems6.6Optimisation by energy price6.7Demand response6.8Bidirectional fleet charging6.9Charging demand forecasting6.10Lab: charging algorithm with a power limit
7.1Urban bus depots7.2Logistics and distribution centres7.3Port and container terminals7.4Overnight fleet operation7.5Shift planning7.6Space management7.7Fire safety7.8Phased transition7.9Operator experiences7.10Case study: depot for 100 electric buses
8.1350 and 700 bar hydrogen refuelling stations8.2On-site production and supply8.3Compression and storage8.4Dispensing and protocols8.5Refuelling station safety8.6Hydrogen costs8.7Comparison with battery electric8.8Multi-energy hubs along corridors8.9Refuelling station regulations8.10Practical exercise: sizing a hydrogen refuelling station
9.1AFIR Regulation and targets9.2Trans-European TEN-T network9.3Public funding programmes and CEF9.4Tolls and emissions-based charges9.5Charging point regulations9.6Permitting of the hub9.7Energy taxation9.8Concession models9.9Supply contracts9.10Workshop: financing plan for a hub
10.1Charge point operators10.2Charging as a service10.3Manufacturer alliances10.4Charging prices10.5Complementary revenue at the site10.6Fleet contracts10.7Risk management10.8Profitability analysis10.9Business cases10.10Lab: financial model of a charging hub
11.1Impact on the distribution grid11.2Hosting capacity11.3Flexible grid connections11.4Coordination with the distribution system operator11.5Reinforcement planning11.6Flexibility services11.7Microgrids at hubs11.8Charging cybersecurity11.9Grid studies11.10Case study: grid impact study for a corridor
12.1Selection of the case study12.2Fleet and mission analysis12.3Selection of charging technology12.4Hub design12.5Hub electrical design12.6Charging management strategy12.7Economic evaluation of the project12.8Environmental impact assessment12.9Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme is compatible with full-time work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is MATLAB/Simulink, PVsyst, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, Python with Pyomo and AutoCAD, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for charger interoperability testing, simulation of fleet charging profiles and on-route consumption tests. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 (AFIR), IEC 61851-23, ISO 15118-20, Regulation (EU) 2024/1610 on CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, OCPP 2.0.1, IEC 63379 (MCS), SAE J3271.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with MATLAB/Simulink, PVsyst, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, Python with Pyomo and AutoCAD, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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