Megawatt-scale electric HGV charging hub launched

A new megawatt-scale electric HGV charging hub has begun operation at East Midlands Gateway, designed and delivered by Voltempo, which will support Kuehne+Nagel’s UK road transport fleet as part of the eFreight 2030 programme.

The hub is the first live Megawatt Charging System (MCS)-ready facility for electric HGVs in the country. It uses Voltempo’s HyperCharger technology, which is capable of delivering charging rates of up to one megawatt, to enable future electric HGVs to recharge in under half an hour.

The energy minister Chris McDonald formally opened the site on 15 January.

Part of a planned national rollout of 35 depot charging hubs through the eFreight 2030 project, the site includes six DC charging bays powered by a single megawatt-scale unit that can distribute power dynamically across a network of chargepoints.

The hub will initially support twelve electric HGVs operating on regional, national and international routes. These include DAF XF Electric and Renault Trucks E-Tech T models, which will provide data on energy consumption, charging patterns, range and operational costs.

Located near the M1 and East Midlands Airport, the site is positioned within one of the UK’s busiest logistics zones.

Voltempo CEO Simon Smith said: “This first deployment of Voltempo’s HyperCharger at Kuehne+Nagel’s depot is a significant milestone for zero emission freight.

“As lead partner and charging infrastructure provider for eFreight 2030, our focus has been on delivering infrastructure that works for real-world freight operations today, while being ready for the next generation of high-power electric and autonomous HGVs tomorrow.”

Kuehne+Nagel’s sustainability and social impact director, Kate Broome, said: “As part of eFreight 2030, we’re proud to be working with partners like Voltempo and their innovative technology, alongside vehicle manufacturers DAF and Renault Trucks, to open the first charging hub at our site – a real milestone made possible through collaboration across industry.

“Located at the heart of our UK road logistics operations, the combination of the HyperCharger and our new electric fleet enables us to deliver more sustainable logistics for our customers at real operational scale.”

The project forms part of the UK Government-funded Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme.

Alistair Barnes, senior programme manager at Innovate UK, said: “We are delighted to support the launch of this pioneering charging hub at Kuehne+Nagel’s East Midlands Gateway depot. Voltempo’s state-of-the-art HyperCharger is enabling eFreight 2030 to meet the sustainable haulage demands of today and tomorrow.

“The ZEHID programme, funded by the UK government and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK, is providing strategic insights into the future of road transport. Powerful partnerships like this are accelerating the transition to zero-emission freight and driving the UK’s clean growth ambitions forward.”