For the first time ever, an electric heavy goods vehicle has crossed the Channel Tunnel, with experts highlighting that this could revolutionise the freight trade.
A collaboration between Kuehne+Nagel, LeShuttle Freight, Voltempo, and DAF Trucks has seen the first electric vehicle travel between France and England using LeShuttle Freight.
The route sees more than one million trucks cross every year and carries a quarter of all goods traded in value between the UK and Europe.
The new milestone will help boost support for zero emission freight vehicles to accelerate the Government’s net zero targets.
A new DAF XF was loaded with 12 tonnes of freight at Kuehne+Nagel’s East Midlands Gateway depot using a Voltempo HyperCharger, which is the UK’s first megawatt-scale charging system.
It then travelled across the Channel to Kuehne+Nagel’s depot in Haiger, stopping just three times, including before the Channel, in Dunkirk, France, and in Maasmechelen, Belgium.
Keir Mather MP, Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister, emphasised the Government’s role in helping companies decarbonise their fleets.
Labour recently announced that a £120million boost would support businesses by cutting the cost of a new zero emission HGV by up to £120,000.
Experts have praised the new electric vehicle development as a major milestone
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The Labour MP for Selby added: “Our support has seen companies like Kuehne+Nagel get clean delivery trucks on the road and helped fund the launch of the first electric lorry across the Channel Tunnel, showcasing the massive trading and economic opportunities that can be delivered through green freight.”
Kuehne+Nagel, DAF and Voltempo are all members of eFREIGHT 2030, which forms part of the UK Government’s Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator programme (ZEHID).
Simon Smith, CEO, Voltempo, said: “This is what eFREIGHT 2030 was designed to enable, proving that electric HGVs can operate reliably in real-world conditions, including challenging cross-border routes.
“Government support through ZEHID has helped kick-start the eHGV market; now industry must make electrification commercially viable at scale.
The lorry was charged using a Voltempo device at Kuehne+Nagel’s East Midlands Gateway depot
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“Voltempo is fully focused on lowering the total cost of ownership through high-power charging and smarter energy solutions. Electric freight isn’t a future ambition, it’s happening now.”
This was emphasised by Peter Roberts, commercial strategy director at LeShuttle Freight, who described it as a “milestone” and a “major step forward towards greener supply chains”.
He noted that LeShuttle Freight will be rolling out the capability for all electric heavy goods vehicles later this year.
The XF has a real-world range of up to 500km, supports charging up to 325kW, and benefits from rapid-charging capabilities.
The Channel Tunnel will roll out the new provisions for all eHGVs soon
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Voltempo argues that this could usher in a new era of zero emission heavy goods vehicles travelling more than 1,000km in a single day.
David Kiss, managing director of DAF Trucks, added: “This exciting milestone demonstrates that DAF electric trucks can reliably operate on international, multi-country routes, including the Channel crossing.
“The DAF XF Electric enables daily distances of up to 1,000 km in real-world operation when utilising rapid charging. Running with a tri-axle trailer at up to 42 tonnes GCW, it delivers genuine heavy-duty capability for mainstream logistics applications.
“This cross-Channel operation proves how electric freight can be scaled on one of Europe’s busiest trade corridors, supporting both UK and EU net-zero ambitions while evidencing that sustainable international transport is practical, efficient, and commercially viable today.”
