Belgium-based electric truck manufacturer Windrose Technology has marked its UK debut with the first domestic charge of its flagship Global E700 commercial vehilcle at at the Port of Tilbury.
The Windrose Global E700 6x4 tractor unit arrived in the UK in March and headed directly to Fleete’s new 5MW charging facility, where it successfully completed its inaugural UK charging session.
The vehicle, which features a distinctive centre-driver cab layout, was preparing to begin a nationwide demonstration tour of logistics depots and truck charging sites across the country. The tour was intended to showcase how long-range electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs) can operate on UK freight routes using next-generation high-power charging infrastructure.
Equipped with a battery capacity exceeding 700kWh, the Global E700 uses a flexible four-battery pack configuration designed for demanding freight operations. According to Windrose, the truck is capable of travelling more than 700km on a single charge, even when fully laden and operating at motorway speeds.
The truck comes ready for both Megawatt Charging System (MCS) and CCS2 charging standards, enabling compatibility with high-power charging hubs such as Fleete Tilbury.
Fleete’s Tilbury hub is capable of charging up to 16 electric trucks simultaneously and includes six Siemens Flex 540kW chargers and 12 Flex 500A dispensers arranged across three charging islands. Each island has been designed with future MCS upgrades in mind.
The site also features four charging points powered by Power Electronics technology, incorporating two NB cooled dispensers and one NB Station system capable of delivering up to 270kW per charging point, with expansion potential to 360kW.
Chris Morrison, chief executive of Fleete, said the arrival of the Windrose truck underlined the increasing importance of high-capacity charging infrastructure for electric heavy vehicles.
“Hosting the first UK charge for the Windrose truck is a strong demonstration of what high-power infrastructure for heavy vehicles can deliver,”
Morrison said.
“Vehicles with battery capacity of this scale need high-power infrastructure that can deliver energy quickly and reliably. Shared charging hubs like Fleete Tilbury are designed to provide exactly that as more fleets begin deploying electric trucks on longer routes.”
Justin Yu, head of Northern Europe at Windrose Technology, described the successful charging session as an important milestone for the company’s UK ambitions.
“Completing our first charge in the UK at Fleete’s Port of Tilbury hub is an important milestone for Windrose and a fitting place to begin the truck’s UK tour. Our aim is to demonstrate how the next generation of electric heavy trucks can work with high-power charging infrastructure across the UK, and the ultra-rapid capability here at Tilbury is exactly the kind of quality charging network operators will need.”
He added that strategically located shared charging hubs would play a vital role in accelerating fleet electrification across the UK’s logistics sector.
Fleete’s shared-user charging model is designed to provide operators with access to high-power charging infrastructure without the need to invest in dedicated depot installations. The approach aims to address key barriers to electric truck adoption, including grid limitations, land availability and the high upfront cost of charging infrastructure. The Tilbury site has also been designed to support additional fleet operators as demand for electric truck charging grows.
