The eFREIGHT 2030 consortium has opened its first megawatt-scale electric heavy goods vehicle (eHGV) charging site.
Using Voltempo’s HyperCharger technology at the East Midlands Gateway, the site will support Kuehne+Nagel’s UK road operations.
The Kuehne+Nagel hub is one of the first MCS-ready (Megawatt Charging System) chargers to be deployed in the UK. Designed and implemented by Voltempo, lead partner of the consortium and the programme’s charging infrastructure provider, the hub is powered by its HyperCharger system, delivering charge rates up to one megawatt – enough to charge eHGVs in less than 30 minutes.
It is the first of a planned national rollout of 35 depot charging hubs through eFREIGHT 2030, part of UK government’s £200 million Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) Programme, funded by the Department for Transport and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.
The site features six DC charging bays with a single megawatt-scale HyperCharger pod, which intelligently distributes power across a network of chargepoints with one positioned at each bay, enabling flexible, high-power charging to support future freight operations.
Simon Smith, CEO, Voltempo, 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.”
Kate Broome, Sustainability and Social Impact Director at Kuehne+Nagel, 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.”
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.”
Image courtesy of the eFREIGHT 2030 consortium
