On the charge – UK’s first eHGV charging hubs open

GRIDSERVE announced the launch of the first electric HGV charging hubs in the UK at Extra Baldock, located at J10 of the A1(M) and Moto Exeter, located at J30 of the M5.

The charging hubs are the result of the Electric Freightway project, funded by the government-run ZEHID programme, and are part of a mission to accelerate adoption of zero-emission HGVs, which has suffered from a lack of available infrastructure by providing shared, publicly accessible charging infrastructure specifically designed for HGVs.

The latest hubs are the first of seven that will open later this year, with charging sites planned for Tamworth, Thurrock, Leeds, Chester and Strensham North.

Extra Baldock has six dedicated eHGV charging bays while Moto Exeter has four, designed as drive-through bays that allow for models to plug in regardless of charge port location. The sites also have new safety markings and custom signage to account for the higher driving position. A swept-path analysis has been conducted to ensure drivers can navigate changing lanes safely.

To celebrate the opening of the hubs on the 26 January and demonstrate how they support long-distance zero-emission haulage, a route from Moto Exeter to Extra Baldock was carried out by a DAF XF Electric eHGV, culminating in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Daniel Kunkel, CEO of GRIDSERVE, said: “The Electric Freightway shows that zero emission freight is no longer a future ambition but a live, operational reality. With the help of our consortium partners, we’re now proving that electric HGVs can run real routes at real scale, using shared public infrastructure.”

Stephanie Haszczyn, Senior Policy Manager at Logistics UK said: “Logistics UK’s research into the challenges facing the decarbonisation of road logistics revealed that a lack of infrastructure was a major roadblock for a lot of operators.

“The opening of these eHGV charging hubs mark a major milestone in building out the infrastructure HGVs sorely need, empowering operators to choose to make this switch and, crucially, giving them the confidence that they will have the opportunity to recharge at infrastructure tailored for larger vehicles.”