21 Oct 2026
Eight Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 trucks enter service next to the UK’s busiest container port under PragmaCharge’s Electric Trucking-as-a-Service model, combining vehicles, a charging hub, software and operational support into one predictable cost per mile.
FELIXSTOWE, UK, 21 October 2026 – PragmaCharge today launched its first UK heavy-truck charging hub at James Kemball’s Felixstowe Mega Distribution Centre (FMDC), less than four weeks after opening its flagship charging hub in Valencia, Spain. Eight Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 electric trucks now begin regional container operations from the site under PragmaCharge’s Electric Trucking-as-a-Service (eTaaS) model.
James Kemball, part of GB Global and one of the UK’s leading container transport operators, is PragmaCharge’s first eTaaS customer in the UK. The hub sits minutes from the Port of Felixstowe and has a capacity to charge six trucks at once, with two 360 kW chargers feeding six dispensers.
James Kemball has already demonstrated its commitment to reducing the environmental impact of road freight through the adoption of alternative-fuel technologies, including bio-LNG-powered trucks. The introduction of eight battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 trucks represents the next significant step in the company’s wider decarbonisation journey. Building on its experience with lower-emission vehicles, James Kemball is now embracing fully electric freight operations through PragmaCharge’s eTaaS model, demonstrating how established haulage operators can progressively transition towards zero-tailpipe-emission transport without compromising operational capability.
One service, one cost per mile
Container haulage runs on thin margins, and volatile diesel prices make every mile harder to plan. Yet the upfront cost and operating risk of electric trucks have kept most UK operators on diesel. PragmaCharge’s eTaaS model removes both barriers. Operators get electric trucks, charging infrastructure, fleet software and operational support as a single service, for a predictable cost per mile and without the upfront investment.
At Felixstowe, PragmaCharge led the project from start to finish: it defined James Kemball’s initial electrification strategy, secured UK Government Depot Charging Scheme funding, and now operates the hub. Its software handles charge planning, energy management, pre-dispatch route validation and predictive monitoring, so each truck spends more time earning and less time waiting.
Built around real container routes
The fleet will run regional container movements within a 250-mile round trip of Felixstowe, and is expected to cover around 560,000 miles a year, avoiding roughly 242,000 litres of diesel and 600 tonnes of CO₂ annually.
Vehicle performance and charging are optimised and tracked through PragmaCharge’s software, assigning the electric trucks the most volume with confidence, scheduling charging during driver rest breaks and between shifts, and keeping vehicles working rather than waiting. Operators get full, real-time visibility of utilisation, energy consumption, range, CO2e abated, and other key metrics.
Gordon McCormick, Group Transport Director, James Kemball, said:
“The introduction of our first electric trucks represents an important milestone for James Kemball and demonstrates our commitment to exploring practical solutions that support the decarbonisation of freight transport.
The project is particularly significant because it combines vehicle electrification with dedicated charging infrastructure at our Felixstowe Mega Distribution Centre, where more than 6,000 rooftop solar panels generate renewable electricity to support our operations.
With PragmaCharge leading the delivery and ongoing operational support of the project, complemented by Envevo’s charging infrastructure expertise, we have established a strong platform that will allow us to evaluate the operational, environmental and commercial benefits of electric freight transport while continuing to deliver the service standards our customers expect.”
George Welsford, Country Manager UK, PragmaCharge, said:
“This hub is a significant milestone: the first of its kind for heavy road freight in the region, minutes from the UK’s busiest container port, Felixstowe. For too long, the conversation around electrifying heavy goods vehicles has focused on the challenges. What we’re demonstrating in Felixstowe is that, with the right partnerships, infrastructure and commercial model, those challenges can be overcome. In the low-margin world of road freight, it’s great to be working with one of the UK’s leading container operators to unlock the lower, more predictable costs that electric trucking delivers when it’s done right.”
From Valencia to Felixstowe: electrifying Europe’s port freight
Felixstowe follows PragmaCharge’s launch of operations in Valencia, Spain, on 25 September 2026: a 50-port hub next to the Port of Valencia that opened as Spain’s largest and is set to become one of Europe’s largest dedicated electric heavy-truck charging hubs. In both locations, the first customers are using electric trucks for port-linked container movements – the same model now running in two of Europe’s key freight gateways. Two hub launches, in two countries, in under a month.
The Felixstowe hub is the first of its kind for heavy road freight in the region. In due course, PragmaCharge and James Kemball intend to open it to invited third-party fleet operators.
With teams in the UK, Spain, Portugal and Poland, PragmaCharge is now working with fleet operators and site partners on its next hubs across the UK and Europe. Hauliers looking to cut their cost per mile, and site owners with space and power near key freight routes, can contact the team at contact@pragmacharge.com.
About PragmaCharge
PragmaCharge provides Electric Trucking-as-a-Service (eTaaS) to heavy-duty road freight operators, combining electric trucks, charging infrastructure, fleet management software and operational support for a predictable cost per mile. It operates charging hubs at key logistics locations across the UK and Europe. pragmacharge.com