Kempower’s overhead charging infrastructure is used at Bidfood’s first electrified truck depot in Slough, UK

UK food wholesaler Bidfood has begun electrifying its Slough depot with an overhead charging solution supplied by the DC fast charging manufacturer Kempower. The set-up allows electric trucks to charge during loading stops without using ground space for charging equipment. The installation carried out by Kempower’s sales and service partner Erinion is the first at a Bidfood site, where two e-trucks are currently operating.

The UK government has set out its intention to phase out sales of new non-zero-emission HGVs weighing up to 26 tonnes from 2035, and all new HGVs by 2040. This means operators are under growing pressure to electrify depots that were never originally designed for charging. At existing logistics hubs, ground-mounted charging infrastructure can reduce the space available for vehicles, potentially disrupting operations or limiting fleet capacity.

Kempower has initially supplied infrastructure for a total of four charging bays, located in the depot’s existing loading docks to optimise the use of available space and enable charging during scheduled reloading stops. Four Kempower Control Units – a robust charging dispenser designed for complex heavy-duty applications – have been installed overhead using a gantry solution and paired with a Kempower Cable Arm so the plug can be accessed from above, eliminating the need for in-ground installations or site redesign.

The Control Units receive power dynamically from a single 600 kW Kempower Power Unit and can each deliver up to 160 kW fast charging power, meaning e-trucks can be meaningfully recharged during typical loading windows of between 45 minutes and 2 hours without the need for an additional charging stop.

Bidfood’s newly electrified Slough depot, which is also its headquarters and a strategic hub for serving the Greater London and Thames Valley regions, is part of its commitment to reduce its absolute carbon emissions by at least 90% by 2045. The company operates more than 1,200 trucks across the UK altogether.

Gareth Sutcliffe, Kempower’s UK Sales Manager for Commercial Fleets, said: “While the urgency for UK fleets to electrify is real, the practicalities of fitting a depot with charging infrastructure are an industry-wide challenge. Nevertheless, the overhead solution which conserves space and makes use of scheduled loading stops is becoming a tried and tested method that operators like Bidfood can continue to replicate.”

Faye Reeve, Head of Non-Inventory Procurement at Bidcorp UK, the parent company of Bidfood, said: “This installation was an important step in our decarbonisation strategy. We have been exploring the transition of our fleet for some time, but it was important to us that we found infrastructure and a set-up that complemented our operations. Our first charging system is set up so that we can continue to operate in the same way, just as efficiently and profitably as before, and it’s given us a blueprint for the next phases of our electrification plan.” 

The project was designed and delivered by Erinion, a depot charging specialist within the Scania group and Kempower sales and service partner.

Jack Smith, Erinion’s Country Manager for the UK, said: “Operators across the UK are asking the same question: how do we charge our trucks without giving up yard space? Slough shows it can be done within an existing footprint. We designed the gantry as a modular system, so Bidfood can add charging bays as the fleet grows without starting over. We’re looking forward to bringing that experience to more depots across the UK.”

Images available to download here

Press Contact
Mikaela von Martens
Marketing Communications Manager, Northern Europemikaela.vonmartens@kempower.com
 +358 40 7578743

Kempower in brief
We design and manufacture reliable and user-friendly DC fast-charging solutions for electric vehicles. Our vision is to create the world’s most desired EV charging solutions for everyone, everywhere. Our product development and production are based in Finland and in the U.S., with the majority of our materials and components sourced locally. We focus on all areas of e-mobility, from electric cars, trucks, and buses to machines and marine. Our modular and scalable charging system and world-class software are designed by EV drivers for EV drivers, enabling the best user experience for our customers around the world. Kempower shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. kempower.com