Saint-Gobain is adding six Volvo fully electric HGVs to its fleet operating in the UK, in partnership with XPO Logistics, as part of the government's Zero Emission HGV & Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme.

The investment in these six eHGVs is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by almost 800,000 kg per annum, equating to 3,530 tonnes over five-years.

Saint-Gobain and XPO Logistics have also partnered with Gridserve to create a ‘back to base supercharging’ infrastructure at the Saint-Gobain Logistics Hub at Gotham, Nottinghamshire. The six charging points will charge the eHGVs to 80% in just 90 minutes and fully charge them in under two hours.

Dean O’Sullivan, CEO of Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland, said: “Trialling six zero-exhaust emission HGVs across the Midlands is another step forward for us. The extended operational trials of the all-electric vehicles are part of our wider journey to reduce the impact of our business and ultimately meet our goal to be a net-zero carbon business.

“We’ll be working closely with customers during this period and our drivers to get their feedback and see how all-electric HGV’s at scale can fit into our logistics service offer. We’re excited to see what’s possible as we push for cleaner, smarter deliveries that support our customers.”

Saint-Gobain and XPO Logistics have been working closely on the electric HGV project for over 18 months as part of the UK Government Zero Emission HGV & Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) project to bring ‘Zero Carbon’ deliveries to Saint-Gobain customers, with the first trial deliveries beginning in Q2 of this year.

This facility at the Gotham hub will support customer deliveries from both British Gypsum East Leake and the Saint-Gobain Midlands DC during the five-year programme, aiming to achieve two delivery cycles per vehicle per day across the Midlands.

The six eHGVs ordered from Volvo will include five tractor units and one rigid unit, which will begin operating on the UK’s roads between April and June 2026.