Gridserve opens UK’s first public eHGV charging hubs

Gridserve has opened the UK’s first public electric heavy goods vehicle (eHGV) charging hubs at Extra Baldock on the A1(M) and Moto Exeter on the M5, with five further locations planned at Tamworth, Thurrock, Leeds, Chester and Strensham North later this year. The hubs are part of the Electric Freightway programme, funded by the Department for Transport’s Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) initiative and involving a consortium of 25 UK hauliers and truck manufacturers.

Extra Baldock features six dedicated eHGV charging bays, while Moto Exeter opens with four. All bays are designed as drive-through with custom signage for HGV driving positions. A DAF XF Electric completed the 200-mile journey between the two hubs to mark the opening.

In a statement, Daniel Kunkel, Chief Executive Officer 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.”

Keir Mather, Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation, added: “Our £120 million investment for zero emission HGVs and infrastructure is putting cleaner haulage firmly into the fast lane, and these first-of-their-kind hubs will give businesses the confidence to go electric.”

Source: Gridserve