Nissan drives forward with electric charging hub

A North East automotive plant is driving a greener future with a new electric truck charging hub.

Nissan’s Sunderland factory has launched a £1.4 million charging station for electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs), marking a UK-first for the automotive supply chain. 

Bosses say the facility features seven chargers capable of powering ten trucks at once, supporting 25 electric trucks that will travel over 2.4 million kilometres annually. 

They add the charging station is part of Nissan Sunderland’s wider EV36Zero plan, combining electric vehicles, renewable energy and battery production for sustainable manufacturing, aiming to cut approximately 1500 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year by electrifying the transport of parts and finished vehicles.

Michael Simpson, vice president supply chain management at Nissan AMIEO, said: “It is fantastic for our plant to be leading the charge to an electrified supply chain with this project.

“We welcome the support we've received from our partners to bring the charging station to life and we're proud of what we have achieved.

“The charging station looks brilliant and is a big step forward in Nissan's EV36Zero vision, which brings together electric vehicles, zero-carbon energy and battery manufacturing.

“We're exploring further opportunities to allow other hauliers to use the charging station, as well as looking at other opportunities to maximise its full potential.”

The project brings together Nissan, Fergusons, Yusen and BCA as part of the Electric Freightway consortium.

Led by GRIDSERVE, Electric Freightway is part of the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator programme, funded by the Government and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.

Daniel Kunkel, chief executive of GRIDSERVE, added: “The decarbonisation of transport logistics is much stronger and reaches far wider when done in partnership.

“This is why, as leaders of the Electric Freightway consortium, we are so pleased to support this UK-first with Nissan and their haulage partners.”

MP Lilian Greenwood, minister for the future of roads, added: “We're working closely with the road freight sector to slash transport emissions, and our £200 million zero-emission HGV programme is helping businesses across the country power the electrification of its fleets.

“It's great to see Nissan taking advantage of our scheme.”

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