An electric truck charging station has been introduced at the Nissan Sunderland Plant, with the potential to save 1,500 tonnes of CO2 annually. This marks the first private shared charging station of its kind in the UK automotive sector, creating an electric, end-to-end supply chain for transporting materials and finished vehicles.
The £1.4 million facility features seven charging stations, capable of powering up to ten electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs) simultaneously. This initiative aligns with Nissan’s EV36Zero vision, integrating electric vehicles, renewable energy, and battery production.
Michael Simpson, Vice President of Supply Chain Management at Nissan AMIEO, expressed pride in leading the way towards an electrified supply chain. The station will enable 60 eHGV deliveries daily, marking the beginning of the plant’s electrification journey.
Support for a fleet of 25 trucks with a charging capacity of up to 360 kW will enable the collection of parts and delivery of finished vehicles over more than 2.4 million kilometres annually.
As part of the Electric Freightway consortium, this project includes Nissan, Ferguson’s, Yusen, and BCA. It is backed by the UK Government’s Zero Emission HGV programme, which aims to cut transport emissions and generate high-paid employment.
Daniel Kunkel, CEO of GRIDSERVE, stressed the importance of partnerships in decarbonising transport logistics, saying that depot charging is vital for the future of HGV electrification and sustainability in freight logistics.
