The eFREIGHT 2030 consortium has reached a major milestone with the official opening of the UK’s first megawatt-scale electric heavy goods vehicle (eHGV) charging site, supporting Kuehne+Nagel’s UK road logistics operations at East Midlands Gateway.
Image: Voltempo
Formally opened on 15 January, the site was inaugurated in the presence of Chris McDonald, Minister for Industry at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). The Kuehne+Nagel hub is the first Megawatt Charging System (MCS)-ready charger to be deployed in the UK, marking a significant step forward for zero-emission freight.
Designed and delivered by Voltempo, lead partner of the eFREIGHT 2030 consortium and its charging infrastructure provider, the new hub is powered by Voltempo’s HyperCharger technology. The system is capable of delivering charge rates of up to one megawatt, enabling future eHGVs to be charged in less than 30 minutes.
This installation is the first of Voltempo’s megawatt-scale HyperChargers to be deployed as part of a planned national rollout of 35 depot-based charging hubs through eFREIGHT 2030. The programme forms part of the 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.
“This first deployment of Voltempo’s HyperCharger at Kuehne+Nagel’s depot is a significant milestone for zero emission freight,” said Simon Smith, CEO, Voltempo. “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 East Midlands Gateway site features six DC charging bays powered by Voltempo’s HyperCharger infrastructure. At the core 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. This configuration enables flexible, high-power charging to support both current and future freight operations.
(l) to (r) Kate Broome, Sustainability and Social Impact Director, Kuehne+Nagel; Amanda Hack MP, Eleanor Edmonds, Director, Road Logistics, Kuehne+Nagel; Ben Fletcher, Chief Executive, Logistics UK, Chris McDonald, Minister for Industry in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT); Simon Smith, CEO, Voltempo; Alistair Barnes, Senior Programme Manager, Innovate UK: John Fox, Chief Operating Officer, Voltempo; Paul Jordan, Chief Commercial Officer, Voltempo; Louis Jones, EV & Connected Services Director, DAF Trucks UK; Michael Boxwell, Corporate Development Officer, Voltempo
Strategic location for UK freight
The charging infrastructure will support Kuehne+Nagel’s ongoing investment in fleet decarbonisation. Initially, it will serve a fleet of twelve eHGVs operating as part of the ZEHID project, including DAF XF Electric and Renault Trucks E-Tech T vehicles. These vehicles are operating across regional, national and international routes as part of the eFREIGHT 2030 programme.
Each truck is providing valuable real-world data on performance and efficiency, including energy consumption, range, charging behaviour and total cost of operation. This insight will play a crucial role in shaping future zero-emission freight strategies.
Kuehne+Nagel’s 200,000 sq ft East Midlands Gateway facility acts as the company’s primary UK hub for road logistics, featuring 67 loading docks and handling pharmaceuticals, high-tech goods and groupage services. Its location adjacent to the M1 and East Midlands Airport makes it one of the UK’s most connected logistics hubs and an ideal environment for demonstrating electric HGV operations at scale.
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.”
Image: Voltempo
Kuehne+Nagel’s involvement in eFREIGHT 2030 builds on its Vision 2030 strategy, which commits the company to supporting a sustainable future through science-based emissions targets and innovation in low-carbon transport. Its UK electric HGV programme has already exceeded 150,000 zero-emission miles, and the business holds Bronze Carbon Literate Organisation status, having developed the logistics sector’s first Carbon Literacy© course.
British-designed charging infrastructure for heavy-duty fleets
Voltempo’s HyperCharger is a British-designed and manufactured system, purpose-built for heavy-duty freight applications. The technology has recently achieved Made in Britain membership eligibility, confirming that it is substantially designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK, with production based in Tyseley, East Birmingham.
Each HyperCharger can deliver up to one megawatt of dynamically distributed power, supplying up to six vehicles simultaneously. The modular system can be scaled across multiple chargepoints to support larger fleets and evolving depot requirements.
Chris McDonald, Minister for Industry in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)
Designed with operational efficiency and sustainability in mind, the HyperCharger allows multiple vehicles to be charged according to their range needs and scheduled despatch times. This helps operators reduce vehicle downtime while lowering fleet carbon emissions. The chargers are OCPP 2.0+ compliant and Plug and Charge capable.
The system also simplifies the driver experience, with no payment terminals required. Vehicles are authenticated automatically from the operator’s fleet list, with all charging transactions managed seamlessly in the background.
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.”
