Global freight forwarding firm FSEW has announced a strategic partnership with EV fleet and battery storage company Zenobē.
FSEW is establishing a new Low Carbon Freight Hub in Cardiff, Wales, and Zenobē has been appointed as charging infrastructure partner.
The hub will be one of the first in Wales to be powered entirely by renewable energy sources and one of the UK’s first low carbon freight hubs.
Zenobē will install four 400kW DC chargers with the option to expand into the 2.5 acre open access hub that was recently granted planning permission.
The infrastructure will utilise Zenobē’s smart charging software to dynamically manage and balance power across the site and keep charging costs down for the operator.
It comes as the Welsh Government has recognised the role of private finance in achieving net carbon goals. Zenobē will be financing the infrastructure through a charging services agreement to FSEW so as to avoid the potential upfront cost.
The charging infrastructure will support four new 37 tonne electric trucks ordered from Volvo Trucks UK, strengthening FSEW’s fleet of fully electric trucks to five. A further order has been placed with Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK for the delivery of five eActros 600 tractor units due for delivery this month.
Zenobē will lead on integrating the new vehicles into the hub, ensuring a smooth interface between the charging infrastructure and the various vehicle types.
Five years ago, FSEW set a target to operate a diesel free fleet by 2025 – this was achieved ahead of schedule at the end of 2024. FSEW has now replaced all diesel vehicles with a combination of fully electric and 100% Biomethane trucks.
This has resulted in 2.4million carbon intensive ‘diesel kms’ being avoided by deploying a fleet of Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEVs), reducing CO 2 emissions by 2,400 tonnes.
Steven Meersman, Co-Founder Director at Zenobē, said:
“FSEW’s Low Carbon Freight Hub will be a flagship site for fleet operators here in Wales and we are looking forward to working with them on this significant project. We share their vision to provide end-to-end decarbonisation solutions for transport operators.
“Wales has set ambitious carbon reduction targets, and we are excited to work with one of the leading Welsh businesses in the low carbon space to work towards achieving this.”
“We share their belief that end-to-end decarbonisation solutions will accelerate the transition for HGV operators. Zenobē already supports over 2,000 electric vehicles across 120 depots globally and we are excited to bring this expertise to the HGV sector with a forward-thinking operator like FSEW.”
Geoff Tomlinson, Managing Director at FSEW, said:
“This is an exciting and pivotal moment in our plans to create the UK’s first low carbon freight hub by January 2026 and we’re looking forward to working with Zenobē.
“Having the right partner that knows what they are talking about is crucial and they’ve impressed us with their expertise and track record of success as a leading battery storage and fleet electrification specialist. We share the same values and vision to drive real, quantifiable change.
“We’re doing all this for better health and air quality and to encourage operators in our sector to change their thinking. This all forms part of our journey as a champion for decarbonisation.”
The news comes ahead of the Transport + Energy Fleet Electrification Forum on 9 July at Warwick Conferences, where the Welsh Government will be speaking. Find out more the event here.
Image courtesy of FSEW
