Logistics firm FSEW has launched Wales’ first dedicated electric charging hub for heavy goods vehicles, marking a major step in the decarbonisation of the freight industry. The new e-freight hub, located on a 2.5-acre site at the Old Ely Transport Yard in Cardiff’s Lamby Way Industrial Estate, features high-powered charging infrastructure capable of supporting the heaviest electric trucks on the market.
Investment and recruitment drive
The development will also trigger a recruitment drive for up to 50 new drivers as FSEW aims to expand its electric fleet to 70 vehicles by 2027. The hub has eight initial charging points, financed, designed and installed by electric vehicle fleet and battery storage specialist Zenobe. The 480kW chargers can power vehicles with up to 190 miles of range in just one hour.
While primarily powering FSEW’s own fleet, the hub will also be available for third-party charging by agreed external van and arctic truck operators with compatible vehicles. The project has been supported by a grant from the UK Government’s depot charging scheme.
FSEW's journey to diesel-free
FSEW was launched in July 2002 after managing director Geoff Tomlinson identified a gap in the market for a customer-orientated global freight forwarding company. The firm, which in 2005 was named the fastest-growing indigenous firm in the Wales Fast Growth 50 index, now employs 90 staff with a fleet of more than 40 trucks. In December 2024, it officially became diesel-free, and in 2021 it became the first company in the UK to launch commercial use electric HGVs in partnership with Tesco.
Mr Tomlinson said: “The e-freight hub is a personal and professional milestone. We are proving that the electrification of heavy freight is not just possible, but commercially viable. By providing accessible, high-power charging, we are removing one of the biggest barriers facing operators today, ‘range and charging anxiety.’”
Community and industry impact
He added: “This hub isn’t just about trucks, it’s about better air quality for our communities and a complete shift in how the industry thinks about energy. Up until this point everything we have done has been self-funded, but we have now secured a grant from the UK Government’s depot charging scheme which is accelerating our plans.”
The project follows the launch of FSEW’s GreenFlow service, an industry-first framework that allows clients to achieve international net-zero shipping across road, rail, air, and sea. Maesteg-based firm Siderise has already used GreenFlow to export containers from Wales to Dubai with a zero-carbon footprint. FSEW’s new Cardiff hub will serve as the physical heart of the GreenFlow service, supporting the path to net-zero freight for businesses across the UK and beyond.
