PragmaCharge has launched its first UK electric truck charging hub at James Kemball’s Felixstowe Mega Distribution Centre, introducing a service designed to make electric freight more accessible to haulage operators. Eight battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 trucks have entered service, carrying out regional container movements from a site close to the Port of Felixstowe, one of the UK’s key gateways for international trade.
The launch marks the UK introduction of PragmaCharge’s Electric Trucking-as-a-Service (eTaaS) model, which combines electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, fleet management software and operational support within a single service. Rather than requiring operators to purchase electric trucks and fund the supporting infrastructure themselves, the model offers a fixed cost per mile, helping businesses manage the financial and operational challenges associated with moving away from diesel.
The charging hub can accommodate six trucks simultaneously, using two 360kW chargers connected to six dispensers. The vehicles will undertake regional container transport within a 250-mile round trip of Felixstowe, with the fleet expected to cover approximately 560,000 miles annually. PragmaCharge estimates that this could avoid around 242,000 litres of diesel consumption and 600 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year, although the actual savings will depend on operational performance and the emissions associated with electricity supply.
For James Kemball, which is part of GB Global, the project builds on existing efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its transport operations, including the use of bio-LNG-powered trucks. The new electric fleet introduces battery-electric vehicles into its container transport activities, supported by dedicated charging infrastructure at its distribution centre. The site also has more than 6,000 rooftop solar panels generating renewable electricity to support operations, adding another element to the wider approach to reducing emissions.
A key part of the project is how charging and fleet operations are coordinated. PragmaCharge’s software supports route planning, energy management, pre-dispatch route checks and predictive monitoring, helping operators schedule charging around driver rest breaks and periods between shifts. This is particularly relevant for container haulage, where vehicle utilisation and delivery schedules directly influence operating costs, and time spent waiting for a suitable charger can affect the productivity of the wider fleet.
The service also addresses one of the main barriers to electric HGV adoption: the initial investment required to purchase vehicles and install high-powered charging infrastructure. For operators working with tight margins, committing significant capital to unfamiliar technology can be difficult, particularly when questions remain around vehicle performance, charging access and the suitability of electric trucks for specific routes. By bringing these elements together under one commercial arrangement, PragmaCharge aims to give businesses a more manageable way to assess and expand their use of electric freight.
The Felixstowe launch forms part of PragmaCharge’s wider expansion across European freight networks. In September 2026, the company began operations at a 50-port electric truck charging hub at MercaValencia, Spain, developed with logistics property company Prologis. Both projects focus on port-related container movements, where concentrated freight activity and established routes can provide suitable starting points for electrification. PragmaCharge is also working with fleet operators and site partners on further charging hubs across the UK and Europe, with teams operating in the UK, Spain, Portugal and Poland.
The company’s approach reflects a broader shift towards treating electric freight as a connected system rather than a straightforward vehicle replacement. The availability of suitable trucks needs to develop alongside charging infrastructure, grid capacity, route planning and commercial arrangements that work for operators. While projects such as Felixstowe demonstrate how electric HGVs can be introduced into established freight operations, expanding their use across more routes will depend on whether similar solutions can be delivered at the locations and scale required by the industry.
As investment in electric trucks continues, the Felixstowe project provides a practical example of how partnerships between hauliers, charging providers and infrastructure specialists can help address the challenges of decarbonising road freight. The longer-term opportunity will be to build on these initial deployments, giving more operators the confidence to adopt electric vehicles while maintaining the reliability and efficiency their customers expect.
Sustainable Logistics LIVE 2026 takes place on 10 November at the Royal Geographical Society in London, bringing together logistics and supply chain professionals for a day of collaboration, discussion and learning. With a dedicated panel on electrification and multiple interactive BriteLabs exploring the topic throughout the day, SLL2026 will create opportunities to examine the infrastructure, technology and operational changes needed to make electric freight work at scale. Find out more and book your place at Sustainable Logistics LIVE 2026: Sustainable Logistics LIVE 2026 London Tickets, Tuesday 10 November • 9 AM – 4:30 PM | Eventbrite