Kempower’s overhead charging infrastructure supports electrified truck depot for UK food wholesaler

UK food wholesaler Bidfood has begun electrifying its Slough depot with an overhead charging system supplied by DC fast charger manufacturer Kempower.

Bidfood operates more than 1,200 trucks in the UK. The company’s Slough depot serves as a distribution hub for Greater London and the Thames Valley. The EV charging project was designed and delivered by Erinion, a depot charging specialist within the Scania group and a Kempower sales and service partner.

The UK government plans to phase out sales of oil-burning heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) weighing up to 26 tons from 2035, and all new HGVs by 2040. This puts pressure on operators to electrify depots that were not originally designed for EV charging. At existing logistics hubs, overhead charging systems enable electric trucks to charge during loading stops without using ground space for charging equipment.

At the Bidfood site, where two electric trucks are currently operating, Kempower initially supplied infrastructure for four charging bays at the depot’s loading docks. Four Kempower Control Units, charging dispensers designed for heavy-duty applications, were installed overhead using a gantry system, and paired with Kempower Cable Arms, allowing drivers to access the charging plugs from above.

The Control Units receive power dynamically from a single 600 kW Kempower Power Unit, and can each deliver up to 160 kW of charging power. This allows electric trucks to recharge during typical loading windows of 45 minutes to two hours without requiring an additional charging stop.

“We have been exploring the transition of our fleet for some time, but it was important to find infrastructure and a setup that complemented our operations,” said Faye Reeve, Head of Non-Inventory Procurement at Bidcorp UK, Bidfood’s parent company. “Our first charging system allows us to continue operating in the same way, just as efficiently and profitably as before, and it has given us a blueprint for the next phases of our electrification plan.”

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

Source: Kempower