Aegis Energy is set to begin construction of five-station network of multi-energy recharging and refuelling facilities for commercial vehicles, after securing investment of £100 million from global investment manager Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners. It said the hubs will meet the electric, HVO, hydrogen and bio-CNG needs of truck and van operators.
The five stations will be in Sheffield, Immingham, Warrington, Corby and Towcester, where Aegis Energy said it has secured sizeable grid connections. It will begin construction on the first of these stations in 2025, scheduled to open in early 2026.
The company said it plans to create a broader network of up to 30 hubs by the end of the decade.
Aegis Energy said this public infrastructure, will be an essential missing piece for low and zero-emission trucks and vans to hit UK roads, because installing depot infrastructure is often impractical or unscalable, particularly where logistics operators lease their premises or there is a grid constraint. Aegis Energy is actively looking to partner with more fleet operators across the UK to help them navigate the transition.
The hubs will have bookable high-speed electric charging for around 40 HGVs and 25 vans simultaneously. The hubs will also provide safe and secure truck parking and driver facilities that include toilets and showers, food and calm spaces.
Christopher Thorneycroft-Smith, Co-founder at Aegis Energy, said, “the lack of appropriate infrastructure is typically number 1 or number 2 on the list of barriers for fleet operators. Building depot infrastructure can be complex and grid connections are not easy, or cheap, to secure. Not only this, but long-haul operations require a top-up charge, and for van drivers, when at-home charging isn’t a practical solution, they lose time waiting to charge elsewhere.”
Keith Gains, Managing Director and UK Regional Lead for Quinbrook, said the investment “presents significant opportunities for Aegis Energy to build market-leading refuelling hubs and we look forward to supporting its growth and expansion throughout the country.”