UK’s first megawatt-scale eHGV charging hub launched at Kuehne+Nagel Midlands Gateway

Formally opened on 15 January with industry minister Chris McDonald in attendance, the Kuehne+Nagel hub is the first of 25 planned megawatt scale charging hubs to be deployed in the UK.

Designed and implemented by Voltempo, lead partner of the eFREIGHT 2030 consortium and the programme’s charging infrastructure provider, the new charging hub at East Midlands Gateway is powered by Voltempo’s HyperCharger system, capable of delivering charge rates up to one megawatt - enough to charge future eHGVs in less than 30 minutes.

It is the first of Voltempo’s megawatt-scale HyperChargers to be deployed under the planned national rollout of 35 depot charging hubs through eFREIGHT 2030, part of UK government’s £200m Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) Programme, funded by the DfT and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.

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

He added: “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.”

The Kuehne+Nagel site features six DC charging bays powered by Voltempo’s HyperCharger infrastructure. At the heart of the system is 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.

The East Midlands Gateway charging infrastructure will support Kuehne+Nagel’s continued investment in decarbonising its fleet, initially serving an electric fleet of twelve eHGVs which are part of the ZEHID project, including both DAF XF Electric and Renault Trucks E-Tech Ts as part of eFREIGHT 2030 operating across regional, national and international routes.

Each truck is providing valuable real-world performance and efficiency data to support the eFREIGHT 2030 programme, including analysis of energy use, range, charging cycles and total cost of operation.

Kuehne+Nagel’s 200,000 sq ft East Midlands Gateway facility serves as the company’s UK key operations hub for road logistics activities, featuring 67 loading docks and handling a wide range of goods, including pharmaceuticals, high-tech and groupage services.

Its prime location adjacent to the M1 and East Midlands Airport makes it one of the UK’s most connected logistics hubs, and an ideal base for demonstrating the viability of electric HGV operations.

Kate Broome, Kuehne+Nagel sustainability and social impact director, 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.”

Kuehne+Nagel’s participation in eFREIGHT 2030 builds on its Vision 2030 commitment to be the most trusted supply chain partner supporting a sustainable future, with validated science-based emissions targets and a track record of pioneering electric road freight.

Its UK electric HGV programme has already surpassed 150,000 zero-emission miles, and the company is proud to hold Bronze Carbon Literate Organisation status, having created the industry’s first Carbon Literacy course focused on logistics.

The Voltempo HyperCharger is a British-designed and manufactured charging system, developed specifically for heavy-duty freight applications. 

Each HyperCharger can deliver up to one megawatt of dynamically distributed power, supplying up to six vehicles simultaneously. The system can be scaled across multiple chargepoints to support larger fleets and evolving depot requirements.

The HyperCharger allows multiple vehicles to be charged to suit their range requirements and time of despatch, helping operators minimise vehicle charging time as well as lower the fleet’s carbon emissions. The chargers are OCPP 2.0+ compliant and Plug and Charge capable.

The Voltempo system also simplifies the driver’s experience. No payment terminal is required, with the system authenticating the trucks from the operator’s fleet list and managing all the charging transactions seamlessly in the background.

Alistair Barnes, Innovate UK senior programme manager, 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.”