Kuehne+Nagel electric heavy-duty truck operating at a logistics facility as part of sustainable road freight transportation.

Going electric

Learn about this practical collaboration to increase charging infrastructure access, reduce costs and support the transition to electric road transport.

Electrifying road transport remains one of the biggest challenges in logistics.

While vehicle and battery technology continue to evolve, the range and charging capabilities of heavy-duty electric trucks don't fully align with operational demands. Access to reliable charging infrastructure remains a key bottleneck.

Kuehne+Nagel and Amazon aimed to tackle this challenge head-on with a pilot program testing a shared charging model.

Our pilot addresses two key challenges: it expands the charging network, which makes it easier to plan electric truck journeys; and it ensures that charging infrastructure is sufficiently utilised to deliver a return on investment.

Photo of John de Dryver, Global Strategy & Sustainability Manager at Kuehne+Nagel

John de Dryver

Global Strategy & Sustainability Manager at Kuehne+Nagel

Kuehne+Nagel electric truck charging at a logistics facility to support sustainable road freight operations.

Unlocking the transition to electric trucking

Charging infrastructure requires significant upfront investment, so maximising its utilisation is key to scaling electric trucking. By sharing access to existing on-site chargers, both companies can accelerate their fleet electrification ambitions while making more efficient use of charging assets.

The impact can reach farther: providing third-party carriers with greater access to fast truck charging also helps them to address one of the key barriers to electric line-haul operations.

Sharing charging infrastructure can help accelerate the transition to electric trucking across the wider transport ecosystem.

Why Amazon is the right partner

Availability of fast-charging infrastructure

Amazon’s facilities in the UK are equipped with fast-charging infrastructure. This can typically bring a truck’s battery from 20% to 80% within 45 minutes, allowing it to charge during loading and unloading.

No detours required for charging

As a logistics partner to Amazon, Kuehne+Nagel’s vehicles already access Amazon’s fulfilment centres regularly.

Lessons from the pilot

90% charging success rate
The percentage of planned charging opportunities that resulted in a successful charging session.
40% battery charge gain
during the trucks’ time on site.

One of the most encouraging findings from the pilot was that the vast majority of unsuccessful charging attempts were not linked to the charging technology or the operational model itself. This reinforces our belief that the model we piloted is a viable and scalable solution, with the potential to achieve near 100% charging success rates under normal operating conditions.

Photo of Matthew Scoble, Road Logistics Cross-Border Specialist at Kuehne+Nagel

Matthew Scoble

Road Logistics Cross-Border Specialist at Kuehne+Nagel