eFREIGHT 2030 at the Motor Transport Decarbonisation Summit

The Motor Transport Decarbonisation Summit is an annual opportunity to track the progress of the industry’s transition to zero-emission solutions. It brings together operators, infrastructure providers, OEMs, trade bodies, academics and industry experts to explore the intricacies of decarbonisation.

Written by Trinity Francis

This year, speakers noted that the hardest step in their respective journeys has been going from a fully diesel fleet to introducing their first eHGV. Shared charging was seen as a crucial way to derisk the transition for fleets deploying their first electric trucks, but infrastructure remains a stubborn barrier across the industry. 

Up until now, findings from each ZEHID consortium have been published separately, but now the programme is in the demonstration phase, the first ZEHID annual report was published at the Summit. Alistair Barnes, senior programme manager – land and maritime transport at Innovate UK, said, “There’s a huge amount of learning on an individual level across various operators involved. It’s our duty to try and spread that out. 

“One aspect that I think is important to reflect on is that what we’re trying to do in this programme is to take the perceived risks around decarbonisation and understand where they are actual risks or just perceived risks. If we can separate that out, we can reduce the uncertainty.” 

Delays due to legals, grid connections and land permissions have unfortunately been a certainty for nearly every operator installing charging infrastructure. To help alleviate this, Voltempo showcased its mobile charging solution on the first day of the Summit. The unit has in-built bollards, can be moved around the yard with a forklift and attached to a 63 amp commando socket to charge vehicles at 40kW. 

Michael Boxwell, founder and corporate development officer at Voltempo, said, “One of the big learnings from eFREIGHT 2030 has been that getting the grid connection and getting energised can take an awful lot of time. For our mobile charger, you could get your electrician to come and set up a connection. You might need a minor grid upgrade, but once that’s set up, and that should be a few weeks, you can have your charging system in really quickly.

“It’s not a big scaled megawatt charging system, but it means you can get going pretty much straight away. As quickly as you can order the truck, you can have the charging infrastructure in. That size of charging is good for a couple of trucks. You can get it installed pretty much anywhere in the UK.” 

Infrastructure is key so fleets can start using and pushing their eHGVs. Barnes said, “Infrastructure really matters because range is not the same as reach. In some ways, vehicle range doesn’t matter too much if you’ve got infrastructure in the right place. As we’ve seen proved by Kuehne+Nagel earlier in the year when they took a vehicle to Germany from East Midlands Gateway, using both depot and public charging.”  

For the fleets that have been able to get their infrastructure up and running, utilisation is the next hurdle to make sure the investment is recouped as quickly as possible. Chris Welch, managing director at the Welch Group and Neil Durno, head of partnerships at Voltempo, hosted a session looking at the economics of shared charging. 

Welch said, “I look at it as a revenue centre, or look at it from the point of view of what it does for our own fleet as it grows. At the moment, because of the size of the infrastructure we’ve put in, it costs us more than running diesels. Price parity is about 37p/kWh, we are up at 40p/kWh because of the sheer amount of money we’ve had to put in.” 

This is where shared charging is expected to help the fleet to achieve parity with diesel before generating significant savings. By 2027, Welch plans to be running 12 eHGVs which equates to 18% of the company’s fleet. With 25 van charging and two eHGV charging sessions a day from visiting operators, Welch anticipates a £75k annual saving compared to diesel. Without guest charging, this flips to a loss of £9k compared to diesel, so the shared model is critical for profitability. 

By 2030, Welch hopes to increase guest charging sessions to at least 60 vans and five trucks a day. Combined with 35 of Welch’s own eHGVs, the annual saving against diesel is projected to hit £391k. This figure is modelled to more than double in the following five years to 2035, by which time the entire fleet of 65 trucks should be electric. By then, the goal is to host at least 75 van charges and 10 visiting eHGV charges a day. 

Speaking on the ‘Building confidence in the electric truck market’ panel the following day, Adam Purshall, fleet, procurement and operational systems director at Menzies Distribution Solutions, also noted the benefit of shared charging for both the home fleet and other operators. He said, “Utilisation is key. It’s an expensive asset, we want it running day and night, seven days a week, wherever we possibly can. 

“We’ve heard from various people about the costs that are very, very significant in getting power into these sites, so we have to use it. Our approach is that our core fleet has got to be primary, but outside of that, there are lots of growth opportunities to open that availability to anybody that wants to use it. I think that has to be the way that we collaborate.” 

 

Trinity Francis is a multi-award-winning international pan-automotive journalist & consulting editor.
 
www.trinitygfrancis.com 

M&S to roll out ten new DAF XD Electric trucks with five supported through eFREIGHT 2030

M&S and its transport subsidiary Gist are deploying ten new DAF XD electric trucks across its Foods and Fashion, Home and Beauty operations. The units include DAF’s first UK inverter-equipped truck to enable electric-powered refrigeration developed through the Government-funded eFREIGHT 2030 project.

Five of the ten vehicles are supported through the eFREIGHT 2030, part of the UK Government’s Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator programme, funded by the Department for Transport and delivered with Innovate UK. One of these units is fitted with an integrated inverter which draws power from the vehicle’s main DC battery and converts it into AC electricity enabling the trailer’s refrigeration unit to be powered directly from the truck. Refrigeration being run on electricity rather than diesel represents a significant step forward in the transition towards fully electrified transport solutions.

The vehicles will be deployed across two logistics operations with five operating on Fashion, Home and Beauty distribution and five operating on Retail Food. Both duty cycles are well suited to electrification with predictable routing alongside demanding real-world payloads and utilisation levels.

The DAF XD Electric consistently achieves up to 300 miles range on a single charge and the planned daily range in M&S operations will sit between 250 and 300 miles. Operating at gross weights between 32- and 42-tonnes the units will be running on both single and double shift patterns supporting annual mileages of approximately 100,000 km per vehicle.

The rollout builds on the proven success of M&S’s earlier DAF LF Electric deployment, which completed a 24-month proof-in-service programme on intensive, temperature-controlled multi-drop operations. That programme demonstrated that electric trucks could meet demanding operational requirements, providing the confidence to move beyond pilot use and into scaled deployment. 

M&S Group Fleet Manager, Mick Pethard, said, “The LF Electric gave us the confidence that electric trucks can perform reliably in demanding retail operations. We’re not just trialling electric anymore – with the XD Electric, we’re scaling-up. The real-world range we’re seeing, combined with strong driver acceptance, means electric tractor units are becoming a practical solution for mainstream logistics.” 

Simon Smith, CEO of Voltempo which leads eFREIGHT 2030, said, ”This is a great example of what can be achieved when eFREIGHT 2030 partners combine their expertise. By supporting more demanding applications for electric HGVs, this first-of-its-kind inverter will help accelerate the transition of temperature-controlled trailers as well as trucks to zero-emission road freight.”  

The addition of the DAF XD Electric tractors underlines M&S’s intent to broaden its zero tailpipe emission capability across its distribution network, signalling a move beyond demonstration projects towards fully integrated electric operations. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CV Show panel urges SME hauliers to start learning now on electric HGV transition

SME hauliers should not wait for every part of the electric HGV transition to be solved before taking their first practical steps, according to speakers at this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show, held at the NEC Birmingham in April.

The panel discussion, Electric as the way forward for SMEs – overcoming the challenges, was chaired by Isabella Panovic, Programme Manager at Innovate UK, and featured Neil Durno, Head of Partnerships at Voltempo; Dave Rose, Founder and CEO of Voltloader; and Izabel Fuell, VP of Operations Strategy and Expansion at Hived.

The session explored how smaller operators can begin to engage with electric freight, with speakers highlighting early learning, vehicle utilisation, depot charging, infrastructure sharing and grant support as key themes.

Innovate’s Panovic opened the discussion by outlining progress through the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme, which is testing zero-emission HGVs and the infrastructure needed to support them in real-world conditions. She said the programme already has more than 200 battery electric HGVs in operation across the UK, with around 300 expected in total, supported by more than 70 charging sites.

Neil Durno, Head of Partnerships at Voltempo. Isabella Panovic, Programme Manager at Innovate UK.

Building confidence through real-world experience

As lead consortium partner for eFREIGHT 2030, Voltempo is working with operators, vehicle manufacturers and infrastructure partners to demonstrate how zero-emission HGVs can be deployed in real-world freight operations. Durno said that collaboration, particularly with SME fleets, is critical to making the transition practical and scalable across the wider road freight sector.

While he acknowledged that the shift to electric HGVs will be a long-term transition, he said operators could start building valuable knowledge now rather than waiting until they are forced to act.

“This is a 20-year transition, but operators will learn far more by putting a single electric truck on the road than by waiting on the sidelines,” said Durno.

He added that the recently-announced government Depot Charging Scheme and Plug-in Truck Grant together offer an important opportunity for SMEs to reduce the risk of investing in their first electric truck and charging infrastructure.

Dave Rose, Founder and CEO of Voltloader. Izabel Fuell, VP of Operations Strategy and Expansion at Hived. Neil Durno, Head of Partnerships at Voltempo. Isabella Panovic, Programme Manager at Innovate UK.

Making electric trucks work commercially

The importance of using infrastructure effectively was a recurring theme. Durno said operators should consider how depot chargers could generate wider value when not being used by their own fleet. He pointed to work involving Welch’s Transport and Openreach, where depot sharing is helping move vehicles away from more expensive public charging and into lower-cost, more controlled charging environments.

He also highlighted the value of data from eFREIGHT 2030 and the wider ZEHID programme in helping operators understand which use cases are best suited to electric trucks.

Meanwhile, Rose said Voltloader’s experience shows electric HGVs are already capable of demanding work. The business has been running articulated electric trucks for two and a half years, with some vehicles covering up to 300 miles a day using a midday charge.

“The technology is there. The technology works,” said Rose.

He said grants currently available for trucks and charging infrastructure give SMEs a strong opportunity to start testing where electric vehicles could fit, build operational knowledge and differentiate themselves with customers.

Operator experience points to practical first steps

Bringing another operator perspective to the discussion, Fuell said Hived’s experience showed how smaller businesses can use their agility to test new approaches and learn quickly. The company, which began as a zero-emission parcel delivery business, has since expanded into HGV operations and haulage, using its own routes and charging infrastructure to explore different commercial models.

She said SMEs do not need to approach electrification as an immediate full-fleet transition.

“It’s not hard to get started,” she said, adding that one truck on the road can give operators the data and confidence they need for future decisions.

The panel also discussed driver benefits, including quieter operation, smoother acceleration and reduced stress. Rose said Voltloader had seen strong driver feedback from electric HGV operations, while Durno said electric trucks could help improve the working environment for drivers and air quality in the communities where freight vehicles operate.

As the discussion made clear, the question for SMEs is no longer simply whether electric HGVs can work, but where they can work first, how infrastructure can be shared, and how operators can start building the knowledge they will need for the years ahead.

Neil Durno appointed to lead delivery of Voltempo’s work within the eFREIGHT 2030 consortium

Voltempo appoints Neil Durno to lead partnerships as depot charging model gains traction

Voltempo has appointed Neil Durno to Head of Partnerships as the company accelerates delivery of large-scale charging infrastructure for electric HGV fleets. The announcement comes at a key moment for the freight electrification market, which is rapidly shifting from early deployments to the delivery and operation of charging infrastructure at commercial scale. 

Neil Durno, recently named as one of GreenFleet’s most influential people, will lead Voltempo’s expanding partner network, working across customers, technology providers and service partners as the company rolls out integrated energy solutions built around its high-power e-HGV depot charging infrastructure. 

The role will lead delivery of Voltempo’s work within the eFREIGHT 2030 consortium – part of the UK Government’s Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator Programme funded by the Department for Transport and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK – aimed at accelerating the transition to zero-emission heavy freight. 

Paul Jordan, Chief Commercial Officer at Voltempo said strengthening partnerships would be critical as the sector moves into a more operational phase. 

“Electrifying heavy freight is fundamentally a collaboration challenge,” he said. “No single organisation delivers the entire solution. As projects move from planning into delivery, the strength of the partnerships around the infrastructure becomes just as important as the technology itself.” 

“Neil has already played a key role in building our relationships across eFREIGHT 2030. This new position allows us to build on that work as we move into the next stage of deployment.” 

Durno has spent the past two years working closely with partners across the programme and will now take responsibility for shaping Voltempo’s wider partnership strategy, including a third-party delivery support network for the company’s service and maintenance programme. 

Neil Durno’s appointment reflects a broader shift taking place in the commercial vehicle charging market. While public charging networks remain important, many fleet operators are increasingly focusing on depot-based infrastructure aligned to predictable duty cycles and scheduled vehicle dwell times. 

Voltempo has been a vocal advocate of the emerging Depot Point Operator (DPO) model, where depot-based charging infrastructure is deployed primarily to serve fleet operations but can also support controlled third-party access under pre-agreed arrangements. 

This approach allows infrastructure to be built around real operational demand while improving asset utilisation across freight corridors and logistics clusters. 

Durno said partnerships would play a central role in making these models work in practice. 

“Freight electrification is moving into a much more delivery-focused stage,” he said. “Infrastructure, energy supply, fleet operations and service support all have to work together. My focus will be making sure our partners are aligned as we move into live operations.” 

Voltempo manufacturers and deploys high-power charging systems designed for commercial vehicle depots, including its megawatt-capable HyperCharger platform, which can dynamically distribute more than one megawatt of power across multiple vehicles. 

Through its involvement in eFREIGHT 2030, the company is helping to lay the foundations for what is expected to become the UK’s largest depot-based charging network for electric HGVs. 

As electric freight adoption gathers pace, Voltempo believes strong operational partnerships will be a key factor in enabling the next stage of industry growth. 

eFreight 2030 on the Department for Transport’s freight decarbonisation announcements

Two announcements from the Department of Transport have put freight decarbonisation in the spotlight.

The extension of the Plug-in Truck Grant is a welcome step. The additional £18 million of funding, offering up to £120,000 per electric truck and running through to March 2026, helps reduce vehicle cost and gives more operators the confidence to start investing in electric HGVs.

Commenting on the announcement, Michael Boxwell from Voltempo, which leads eFREIGHT 2030, said: “The Department for Transport’s ongoing commitment to net zero freight is hugely welcome and this new announcement can benefit fleet operators and their customers as they move towards zero-emission road freight. eFREIGHT 2030 is already delivering on these ambitions with new charging hubs and fleet deployments across the UK.”

Alongside this, the Department for Transport has launched a consultation on the future regulatory framework for decarbonising HGVs, moving the focus beyond short-term support to the longer-term direction of travel.

Across eFREIGHT 2030 and ZEHID, fleet operators are already introducing electric trucks into live operations and building practical experience around charging, routes, utilisation and costs. That activity brings real-world operational insight into the wider discussion as it develops.

It’s the gap between regulatory ambition and operational delivery where industry input will matter most.  Have your say here.

eFreight 2030 at the 12th International Sustainable Road Freight Workshop

The 12th International Sustainable Road Freight Workshop brought together academics and transport operators to discuss insights on the decarbonisation of freight. From projects in the UK and Europe to research in China, India and the US, speakers provided a range of different perspectives on the transition.

Trinity Francis

Hosted at the University of Cambridge, the first day of the two day conference saw representatives from ZEHID and other UK-based projects share updates. Lowri Williams, Transport Systems Practice Manager, at Energy Systems Catapult presented on behalf of the eFREIGHT 2030 consortium. 

After explaining the research aims of eFREIGHT 2030, Williams delved into outputs of the project. “We are releasing a tool which we’re calling a financial assessment tool, rather than a TCO calculator, because it goes beyond the vehicles and charging infrastructure.

“It looks at things like project costs behind the meter, storage and generation and how those can impact and influence the TCO of the vehicles to bring that broader cost picture into view. As well as looking at different finance mechanisms and payback periods.” 

Using ESME Road Freight national modelling, Williams explained how the research explored what the eHGV market could look like between now and 2050 based on different incentives. 

“There’s a lot of evidence that for the smaller vehicles, TCO can stack up much more quickly than it can for the larger, most emitting vehicles. We tried a few different things, one of which was targeted incentives, so as TCO parity was achieved for smaller vehicles, shifting the money that would be spent on those incentives to the larger vehicles. We saw that really pulled forward uptake of the zero emission vehicles in the heaviest segment,” Williams said. 

Modelling showed greater incentives for long haul trucks could accelerate eHGV uptake by around five years. The research also suggested that HGVs travelling more than 400km on a daily basis will likely see eHGV uptake peak between 2040 and 2045 compared to lower mileage trucks which are expected to experience large adoption from 2030 to 2035. 

Williams continued, “A similar thing was seen when we looked at introducing a carbon tax on fossil fuels used in HGVs. This was set up in a way that for a sector that bought the most fossil fuels, they got back the most incentive. 

“The way that played out is for those larger vehicles that do the most miles, they got a bigger incentive when it came to the eHGVs, and that drove uptake earlier. I believe that was the only scenario where the seventh carbon budget was able to be reached.” 

Alongside detailed TCO modelling, the project has also conducted in-depth infrastructure analysis for eHGV requirements. “We did case studies on three specific locations that are in the eFREIGHT 2030 project and we were looking at how things like smart charging, on site solar generation, flexible connections, battery storage and the future growth of the eHGV fleet could impact what systems might look like,” Williams explained. 

Using a co-location optimisation tool, the team looked at the cost benefit of installing on site energy generation and storage. Williams said, “As the grid connection size becomes more constrained, there becomes an increased role for installing generation and storage which was uniform across the three sites we were modelling.” 

Where fleets will typically charge away from the depot, the study found less of a requirement for solar and battery storage but Williams noted fleets need to consider vehicle dwell times at depot to effectively plan infrastructure installations. 

While most charging infrastructure concepts focus on depot-based or public charging hubs, the workshop also heard from researchers exploring alternative solutions. Research from the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight at the University of Cambridge explored the cost benefit of electric road systems (ERS) including overhead, wireless and in-road dynamic charging. 

The team found that ERS on strategic road networks would require fewer, larger grid connections which would be easier to install. The study also concluded that looking at the total logistics cost, rather than just TCO, ERS can be profitable and support cheaper logistics costs for operators. 

More closely related to eFREIGHT 2030’s activities, academics in Sweden have been experimenting with electrified trailers. Slightly different from UK-permitted configurations, the REEL project uses a three axle rigid paired with a five axle electrified trailer which is equipped with a 360kWh battery and a 195kW driven axle. Data so far suggests eHGVs can increase range by up to 60% with the electrified trailer and fuel consumption is reduced by up to 40% when the trailer is paired with a diesel truck. 

As well as sharing updates on specific projects, the majority of speakers were keen to emphasise the importance of collaboration and eliminating silo working. While we often hear about hauliers partnering with each other, speakers highlighted the interconnected nature of logistics between factors like ports, warehouses, rail terminals, CPOs, DNOs, customers and local, national and international authorities. 

eFREIGHT 2030 Members Out in Force at the Motor Transport Decarbonisation Summit 2025  

Several eFREIGHT 2030 members championed electrification at the 2025 Motor Transport Decarbonisation Summit in September. Hosted at Tyseley Energy Park, the event gave attendees the opportunity to hear from DAF, Voltempo and Berkeley Coachworks amongst others. Unlike typical conference formats, workshops across the afternoon focused on a hands-on approach to decarbonisation solutions, with active demonstrations and tours of the facilities at the energy park.  

Voltempo 

It was an historic day for the consortium leader Voltempo as Sir Vince Cable cut the ribbon on the company’s facility where it has now begun manufacturing HyperChargers. While other talks at the summit covered alternative fuels such as HVO, hydrogen, CNG and LNG, Voltempo highlighted how its HyperCharger is a breakthrough technology for electric trucks.  

Designed specifically for trucks, the HyperCharger is a plug-and-charge solution without screens or an interface. Drivers just plug the truck in and Voltempo’s software can identify the vehicle. Coloured lighting on the charger indicates charge status, making the system easy to understand.  

The charging equipment is accompanied by a slimline unit which houses the brains of the system. Now manufacturing has officially commenced, the team plans to build an additional 26 systems this year. Following Tesla’s example, Voltempo wants to install charging infrastructure in strategic locations in preparation for wider eHGV adoption.  

Michael Boxwell, CEO of Voltempo explained his vision for the regulatory landscape needed to support freight decarbonisation. After the depot charging scheme concludes, Boxwell expects more government support for infrastructure installations. He also expressed the need for an industry-wide long term decarbonisation plan which can be presented to the government to guide legislative changes required to execute the plan.  

With a clear roadmap from industry, Boxwell believes this will allow infrastructure providers to invest in charging installations with the confidence in how it will be used. He argued this will give the industry leverage to ensure it gets priority grid access to electrify fleets.  

Although the initial period to get involved with eFREIGHT 2030 has passed, Boxwell reminded attendees that the consortium has launched an associate membership scheme to allow other operators to benefit from the programme.  

Berkeley Coachworks 

Attendees were also given an insight into Berkeley Coachworks’ novel approach to electrification. The team explained that trailer technology has remained largely unchanged since the 1950s. Instead of continuing to use trailers as passive assets, Berkeley is developing an active trailer solution which can act as a range extender for eHGVs.  

The goal is to mount batteries on the trailer with enough capacity to increase the truck’s range by at least 50% in 45 minutes. This would require approximately 1.5 tonnes of battery weight. As payload restrictions are often cited as key barriers to eHGV adoption, just adding batteries to trailers would be counterproductive.  

Instead, Berkeley is aiming to take 1.5 tonnes off the weight of a standard trailer to maintain equivalent payload capacity. Since they have a fairly basic design to begin with, alternative materials are seen as the best way to lightweight trailers. The team brought a number of examples with them including a comparison between composite and steel wheels. A standard steel truck wheel weighs around 44kg, Berkeley’s composite solution cuts that to 16kg.  

Elsewhere on the vehicle, lightweight recyclable trailer panels can help to save around 500kg per boxside. Berkeley recently acquired a Northern Irish manufacturer that specialises in these panels, bringing its manufacturing capabilities in house.  

While composite materials can offer significant weight savings, these solutions can be costly and energy intensive. Rather than use carbon fibre, Pembrokeshire wool from local farmers near Berkeley’s headquarters in South Wales is being used with bioresins. Due to regional conditions, wool from the area is typically unsuitable for clothing, making it the ideal sustainable solution for composites since it would otherwise go to waste.  

To reach its target weight reduction, Berkeley intends to tackle the chassis next. However, the company is mindful of creating lightweight components that can be retrofitted to existing trailers. Over the next six months, the plan is to start looking at lightweighting other types of trailers including double deck units. A motorised hands free side slide system for curtainsiders is also in development.  

Early ambitions for the trailer electrification project will see the trailer used as a mobile recharging station. In future though, trailers could be fitted with e-axles to not only recover energy during braking but to add driven axles which can help to improve fuel efficiency, even with a diesel tractor unit. Berkeley is keen to fully explore the possibilities of reframing trailers as active assets.  

DAF Trucks  

In partnership with the dealer Ford & Slater, DAF showcased a range of eHGVs including units supplied to consortium members Tarmac, Maritime Transport, Kuehne+Nagel and Wincanton. While the manufacturer is trialling other alternative fuel options across the PACCAR group, its primary focus is electrification.  

Unlike other truck makers that favour nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery technology, DAF uses lithium ferro phosphate (LFP) chemistry for its longevity and suitability for road transport applications. As well as highlighting the charging options offered through PACCAR Power Solutions, the presentation emphasised the importance of driver training to get the most out of eHGVs.  

Alongside trucks funded by the ZEHID programme, DAF is anticipating more than 100 of its electric trucks will be deployed with UK customers by the end of 2025. The eHGVs on display at Tynseley Energy Park showcased the variety of applications existing technology can satisfy. 

EFREIGHT 2030 Steering Group Member, Andrew Scott, Positive Connections UK and TVS, took part in the “Feeding the Consultation” panel discussion, which focused on the Government’s forthcoming consultation on decarbonisation and electrification of the road freight sector. The session explored what industry stakeholders want to see reflected in the consultation, including priorities such as vehicle weight and dimension changes to support battery-electric operations, residual value guarantees, and clarity on ICE phase-out timelines. Andrew joined fellow panellists Lamech Solomon (Logistics UK), Colin Matthews (JouleVert), and Matthew Deer (Swain Group) to discuss how industry and Government can collaborate to shape a practical, commercially viable pathway to zero-emission road freight. 

Andrew Scott speaking at the MotorTransport Decarbonisation Summit 2025

Voltempo celebrates start of series production for British-built HyperCharger 

Voltempo celebrates start of series production for British-built HyperCharger

Megawatt charging technology designed for electric trucks paves the way for zero-emission freight.

Voltempo has commenced series production of its advanced megawatt charging system (MCS) – the HyperCharger – marking a major milestone for the UK’s transition to zero-emission road freight.  

Sir Vince Cable, Chair of the eFREIGHT 2030 consortium, officially opened the facility on 23 September with a ribbon-cutting event at Tyseley Energy Park in Birmingham, where Voltempo has grown rapidly over the past 20 months, expanding from three employees to a team of over 50. This growth reflects a significant investment in the city and the creation of highly skilled technical engineering jobs that are helping to drive the UK’s clean energy transition. 

Supporting the UK’s zero-emission freight transition 
Voltempo is the lead partner of the eFREIGHT 2030 consortium, part of the UK government’s £200m Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator Programme (ZEHID), delivered in partnership with Innovate UK. As the consortium’s charging infrastructure provider, Voltempo is playing a pivotal role in enabling the transition to zero-emission freight, with the HyperCharger at the heart of this transformation.   

Under the eFREIGHT 2030 project, seven fleets and two charging hubs are deploying Voltempo HyperChargers, each with at least six bays and 1,000kW capacity, while a further two fleets are adopting Voltempo’s lower-powered chargers. The first eFREIGHT 2030 site is already operational, and by Q2 2026 will have deployed the UK’s largest network of MCS-capable chargers. Each HyperCharger is designed for on-site upgrades to support trucks with MCS charge ports at 700kW+ as soon as they arrive in the UK. 

Designed for trucks, from the ground up 
Unlike most available chargers, the Hypercharger is purpose-built for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). Its striking and innovative “halo” design lifts and protects the heavy charging cables, preventing damage and making operation safer and more practical in busy logistics depots.  

The HyperCharger’s intuitive LED halo interface removes the complexity often associated with charging. With no touchscreens, cards, or apps required, drivers can simply plug in and charge. Its OCPP 2.0 compliance ensures compatibility with all plug-and-charge enabled vehicles. The HyperCharger’s design also minimises downtime and maintenance, delivering a more reliable charging experience. 

Scalable and energy-efficient 
Capable of delivering over 1 megawatt of dynamically distributed power to up to six vehicles at once, the HyperCharger can be scaled across multiple charge points to support large fleets. Designed with sustainability in mind, the system uses low-power LEDs and consumes significantly less standby energy than many conventional chargers – helping operators cut both costs and carbon emissions. 

Michael Boxwell, CEO of Voltempo, said: “Starting series production of the HyperCharger is a defining moment – not just for Voltempo, but for the UK’s journey towards zero-emission freight. Our technology has been designed from day one to meet the real-world needs of logistics operators, and we’re proud to be creating green jobs and driving innovation right here in Birmingham.” 

Sir Vince Cable, Chair of the eFREIGHT 2030 consortium, said: “I’m delighted to officially open Voltempo’s new facility and mark the start of series production for the HyperCharger. This is a major step forward – not just for Voltempo, but for the UK’s transition to zero-emission road freight. The HyperCharger is central to the success of the eFREIGHT 2030 programme and demonstrates how British innovation can create skilled jobs, attract investment, and build the infrastructure we need to compete in the global clean transport economy.”

David Horsfall, Director of Property and Sustainability at Tyseley Energy Park, said: “It has been a pleasure to see Voltempo grow so substantially during their time at Tyseley Energy Park, expanding from just two people to a team of 50 in under two years. Their HyperCharger is a leading example of how the UK can innovate to support zero-emission freight. By working with industrial partners like Voltempo we can test and demonstrate cutting-edge technologies at scale – further strengthening TEP’s role as a national hub for clean energy and low-carbon transport.”

Neale Ryan, Head of Land and Maritime Transport at Innovate UK, commented: “Designed and manufactured in Great Britain, this showcases UK innovation in zero-emission freight, and highlights the power of UK support in helping companies like Voltempo progress through multiple stages of development. The ZEHID programme, funded by UK Government and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK, will generate valuable insights into the future of road transport. Innovate UK is proud to support this effort, which plays a key role in accelerating the shift to zero-emission freight and advancing the UK’s net zero ambitions.” 

Kuehne+Nagel secures industry first: fully-electric HGV freight channel crossing from Dover to Calais

Kuehne+Nagel secures industry first: fully-electric HGV freight channel crossing from Dover to Calais

eFREIGHT 2030 partners Kuehne+Nagel and Renault Trucks, together with P&O Ferries, have made transport history – and the headlines – with the first fully-electric HGV carrying freight across the English Channel from Dover to Calais. The Renault Trucks E-Tech T completed the landmark return journey aboard a P&O Ferries hybrid vessel, earning a spot on the front cover of July 31st edition of Commercial Motor.

This milestone demonstrates that clean transport is not a vision for the future, but a reality already operating on one of Europe’s busiest trade routes.

The Channel has been a vital artery of trade for more than a thousand years. Now, with the support of the UK Government’s Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator programme, it has become next stage for a breakthrough moment in zero-emissions logistics.

The successful cross-border journey marks a turning point for sustainable freight. With the whole industry watching, the message is clear: clean transport is ready to deliver.

As the spotlight from Commercial Motor highlights, this isn’t a glimpse of what’s to come. It’s happening now.