Nissan Leads the Way with UK’s First Electric Truck Charging Station at Sunderland Plant

Western & Barnetts Nissan shares breakthrough in sustainable logistics

Nissan has taken another bold step on its electrification journey with the launch of a £1.4 million electric truck charging station at its Sunderland Plant—a UK industry first that marks a major milestone in building a fully electric supply chain.

The new charging hub, now operational, is the result of a powerful collaboration between Nissan, Fergusons, Yusen, and BCA, and forms part of the Electric Freightway programme, led by GRIDSERVE and funded by the UK Government through Innovate UK.

Capable of powering up to 10 electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs) simultaneously, the station supports a fleet of 25 eHGVs making 60 daily deliveries, covering over 2.4 million kilometres annually—and cutting an estimated 1,500 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year.

Michael Simpson, Vice President Supply Chain Management, 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 EV360 vision, which brings together electric vehicles. zero carbon energy and battery manufacturing."

Charging Toward a Greener Future

The station represents the UK’s first private shared-use eHGV charging hub—designed not only to electrify Nissan’s logistics but also to potentially support wider industry usage. It aligns with Nissan’s EV36Zero initiative, which combines electric vehicle manufacturing, renewable energy, and battery production in a single vision for sustainable mobility.

Michael Simpson added:
"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 station’s seven charging bays offer up to 360kW charging capacity, enabling high-power, rapid charging for long-haul electric trucks. These eHGVs will collect components from as far afield as Derby and deliver finished vehicles to and from the Port of Tyne, demonstrating the feasibility of a fully electric logistics loop.

Daniel Kunkel, CEO, GRIDSERVE, said:
"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. Depot charging is critical for the electrification of HGVs, going hand in hand with future public infrastructure developments.
As a first shared usage site, this location is leading the way in sustainable freight logistics."

Backed by Government Support

This forward-thinking project is part of the UK Government’s £200 million Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator programme, aimed at reducing carbon emissions across the UK’s road freight sector.

Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads, said:
"We're working closely with the road freight sector to slash transport emissions, and our £200m zero emission HGV programme is helping businesses across the country to power the electrification of its fleets.
It's great to see Nissan taking advantage of our scheme which is supporting high paid jobs and putting money in the pockets of working people – all part of delivering our Plan for Change."

Driving Sustainability at Western & Barnetts Nissan

This ground-breaking project showcases how industry collaboration, innovative technology, and government support can deliver real change in the shift to zero-emission transport.

At Western & Barnetts Nissan, we’re proud to represent a brand that’s leading the way—not just in electric vehicles for our customers, but also in building the sustainable infrastructure behind the scenes. Visit us to learn more about Nissan’s EV range, and how we’re supporting a cleaner future on the road and beyond.