UK Commercial EV Charging Hub Debuts at Port of Tilbury

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In a major step forward for Net‑Zero Transport, Fleete has opened a new commercial vehicle electric charging hub at the Port of Tilbury, marking a significant development in UK freight decarbonisation. The facility, activated on 26 February 2026, features a 5 MW capacity and 16 ultra‑rapid chargers. It is the first in an envisioned network of shared commercial vehicle charging hubs, strategically located in key logistics areas to support fleet electrification without requiring costly depot upgrades.

The site was delivered through a partnership between Fleete, the Port of Tilbury and Thames Freeport. It received £1 million in funding from the UK government’s Thames Freeport Seed Capital Programme, and additional support from the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) Programme, backed by the Department for Transport and Innovate UK. The hub’s placement at one of the UK’s busiest multimodal freight locations ensures it serves the growing fleet of zero‑emission heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) operating in and around the Port of Tilbury and along the A13 corridor into London.

This latest hub complements the rapid expansion of UK public charging infrastructure. Last year, public charging infrastructure grew by 19.1 percent, with over 14,000 new charge points installed. The total number of public charging devices now stands at approximately 87,800 across 45,000 locations. Ultra‑rapid chargers (150 kW+) saw particularly strong growth, increasing by 41 percent to nearly 9,900 devices, while the number of charging hubs rose by 39 percent to 748. Growth was especially notable outside London and the South East, with the North West seeing over 35 percent year‑on‑year growth in high‑powered chargers, and around 29 percent growth seen in the East of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

This wider infrastructure expansion supports Fleete’s vision to decentralise commercial vehicle charging away from depots and closer to freight routes, enhancing convenience and accelerating uptake of zero‑emission HGVs. It aligns with broader efforts to build a comprehensive electrical highway for goods transport, reducing emissions in a sector that has historically lagged behind passenger cars in electrification.

What this means:
Fleete’s Port of Tilbury hub demonstrates how targeted public‑sector funding and strategic partnerships can enable the rapid build‑out of essential infrastructure. It highlights the shift towards shared, location‑based charging for commercial fleets, enabling net‑zero transition without costly depot electrification. Such hubs, especially when replicated across major freight corridors, could play a pivotal role in decarbonising UK logistics and meeting 2050 climate goals, offering fleets confidence in infrastructure accessibility while reducing carbon emissions.

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