Nissan partners on electric truck charging infrastructure in the UK, contributing £1.4 million for the project.
The UK is taking a significant step towards decarbonising its transport logistics with the Electric Freightway project, an initiative led by EV charging network Gridserve. The consortium aims to create more than 10 commercial depot charging locations for electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs), equipped with 200 chargers capable of delivering 350kW.
The project has received £62.7m of UK government support as part of a £100m group, as part of the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator programme. This support is a key part of the government's plan for change, which includes the reduction of emissions in the road freight sector.
One of the project's major backers is Daniel Kunkel, CEO of Gridserve, who supports the collaboration between Nissan and the Electric Freightway consortium. Nissan, in turn, is considering sharing the charging station in the UK with other logistics providers.
The charging station, located in Sunderland, supports 60 eHGV deliveries to the plant daily and has a capacity of up to 360kW for a fleet of 25 trucks. This fleet is expected to travel more than 2.4 million km per year. The electric truck station can power up to ten eHGVs simultaneously.
Lilian Greenwood, UK government minister for the future of roads, has acknowledged the government's work with the road freight sector to reduce emissions. She emphasised that the project is a crucial step towards meeting the 2040 deadline of zero emission HGVs.
The project is not just a single charging station, but a first in the UK's automotive industry, establishing an end-to-end supply chain for electric trucks. The shared usage site for the charging station is leading the way in sustainable freight logistics.
The project is also gaining support from other industry leaders. Recently, leaders from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and ARS Altmann called for government investment in infrastructure and regulations for e-trucks.
The Electric Freightway project is not only creating more jobs but high-paid ones. The UK government's scheme is supporting high-paid jobs and putting money in the pockets of working people.
Michael Simpson, vice-president of supply chain management for Africa, Middle East, India, Europe, and Oceania (AMIEO) at Nissan, has expressed pride in the Sunderland charging project. He believes that this project will pave the way for a more sustainable future in the logistics industry.
In conclusion, the Electric Freightway project is a significant step towards a greener future for the UK's logistics sector. With the support of the UK government and key industry players, the project aims to revolutionise the way goods are transported, reducing emissions and creating high-paid jobs in the process.
