The first electric heavy goods vehicle (eHGV) has travelled through the Channel Tunnel as part of a Government-funded project. Members of eFreight 2030, part of the UK Government’s Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme, Kuehne+Nagel, Voltempo and DAF Trucks worked with LeShuttle Freight to deliver the event.
Kate Broome, sustainability and social impact director at Kuehne+Nagel UK, said: “With this first‑ever electric HGV journey via the Channel Tunnel, we set out to show what’s possible – and to inspire others to accelerate their own electrification journeys.
“Planning a multi‑country long‑haul route still requires extra work to optimise our schedule for charging stops, but the rapid expansion of charging infrastructure across the UK and Europe is transforming what’s achievable.
“We’ve demonstrated that this effort truly pays off and this electric corridor milestone shows just how quickly the future of sustainable transport is taking shape.”
The journey began at Kuehne+Nagel’s East Midlands Gateway depot in the UK, where the truck was loaded with 12 tonnes of freight before being fully charged using the depot’s Voltempo HyperCharger.
Along the 1,700km round-trip route to Kuehne+Nagel’s depot in Haiger, Germany, the two-person crew topped up at public charging hubs operated by Gridserve (UK), Milence in Dunkirk and Maasmechelen in Belgium, showcasing the growing accessibility of fast-charging infrastructure for long-haul electric freight.
The vehicle used was the DAF New Generation XF, recently named International Truck of the Year 2026.
