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The first electric heavy goods vehicle has successfully crossed between the UK and France using the Channel Tunnel, marking a significant moment for cross-Europe zero-emission freight transport.
The journey, completed using LeShuttle Freight, is the first time an electric HGV has travelled through the Channel Tunnel, demonstrating that fully-electric freight operations are now technically viable on one of Europe’s most important trade corridors. The crossing was carried out by logistics firm Kuehne+Nagel in partnership with LeShuttle Freight, charging specialist Voltempo and truck manufacturer DAF.
The Channel Tunnel, which is operated by Eurotunnel, plays a central role in UK-EU trade, carrying around a quarter of all goods traded by value between the UK and mainland Europe. More than one million trucks pass through the tunnel each year. Eurotunnel’s services are powered entirely by electricity, meaning the crossing itself already operates with zero direct emissions.
By enabling an electric HGV to use LeShuttle Freight, the trial shows battery-electric trucks can now complete international freight journeys that include the Channel crossing, rather than being restricted to domestic or regional routes.
The journey formed part of the eFreight 2030 project, a consortium within the UK government’s Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator programme. As members of the programme, Kuehne+Nagel, DAF and Voltempo will share data and operational insights from the trip to help inform the wider rollout of zero-emission freight solutions. The programme is funded by the Department for Transport and delivered with Innovate UK.
The round trip covered approximately 1,056 miles across five countries, using a DAF New Generation XF Electric truck. The journey began at Kuehne+Nagel’s East Midlands Gateway depot, where the truck was loaded with 12 tonnes of freight before being charged using a Voltempo HyperCharger.
The charging system, formally opened earlier this month, is the UK’s first megawatt-scale charging installation for electric trucks and can deliver up to one megawatt of power or dynamically distribute that capacity across multiple vehicles.
Along the route to Kuehne+Nagel’s depot in Haiger, Germany, the two-person driving crew recharged at public high-power charging hubs in the UK, France and Belgium. This highlights the growing availability of charging infrastructure designed specifically for long-distance electric freight.
The DAF XF Electric used for the crossing has a real-world range of up to 310 miles on a single charge and supports DC charging at up to 325kW. According to DAF, this enables daily driving distances of up to 621 miles when rapid charging is available – even when operating with a tri-axle trailer at up to 42 tonnes gross combination weight.
Simon Smith, CEO of 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. Voltempo is fully focused on lowering total cost of ownership through high-power charging and smarter energy solutions. Electric freight isn’t a future ambition, it’s happening now.”
The government says the trial underlines the role electric trucks could play in reducing emissions from freight transport while supporting UK industry.
Aviation, maritime and decarbonisation minister Keir Mather said: “We’re backing British business by cutting up to £120,000 off the cost of new electric trucks and investing £120 million to roll out zero-emission lorries and the charging infrastructure needed to support them, boosting growth, UK manufacturing, and supporting jobs.
“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.”
LeShuttle Freight says it plans to expand access for electric HGVs later this year.
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