Aegis Energy secures Dartford site for M25 commercial vehicle charging hub
- Site located 1.4 miles from the Dartford Crossing at a key M25 freight interchange, serving traffic moving between London, the Midlands and the Port of Dover
- The hub will provide multi-energy refuelling for vans and HGVs, supporting a nationwide effort to decarbonise the commercial vehicle sector, with EV charging cutting CO2 tailpipe emissions by 60-70% compared to diesel equivalents, while clean fuels deliver reductions of 85 to 100%
- Aegis Energy will work with the local community, council, businesses and stakeholders ahead of submitting a planning application in 2026
Aegis Energy has secured a strategically located site and a significant grid connection at the former Littlebrook Power Station in Dartford. Located 1.4 miles from the Dartford Crossing, the site sits at one of the UK’s most critical road freight interchanges.
Purchased from FTSE100 logistics real estate investor and manager Tritax Big Box, and partner Bericote Properties, Aegis Energy plans to develop the site into a clean energy hub for commercial fleets to supply the M25 and beyond.
The sites are designed to accommodate both heavy trucks and vans, with space for dozens of vehicles to refuel simultaneously, as well as providing parking space and improved welfare facilities to support drivers working long hours on the road and in the business park.
Road transport remains one of the UK’s biggest decarbonisation challenges, with domestic transport producing 29% of total domestic UK greenhouse gas emissions, making it one of the largest emitting economic sectors.
Heavy goods vehicles generate around 19% of surface transport emissions and vans a further 18%, despite them representing a much smaller share of vehicles on the road.
The shift to cleaner UK fleets requires a rapid expansion of energy infrastructure. For many operators, installing private depot charging remains difficult due to leased premises, grid capacity limitations, space constraints and upfront costs.
By developing purpose-built multi-energy hubs for commercial vehicles, Aegis Energy will provide high-capacity charging along major logistics corridors, enabling fleets to refuel or recharge en route rather than relying solely on depot infrastructure.
Dartford was chosen as a key gateway for freight travelling between London, the Midlands and continental Europe via the Port of Dover, as the only motorway-grade crossing of the River Thames east of London. Tens of thousands of vehicles pass the junction daily, making the location a critical link in the UK’s logistics network.
The hub is also positioned to support last-mile deliveries serving London, located just a few miles from the boundary of the capital’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), where there is even greater incentive for fleets to transition to lower-emission vehicles.
Once fully operational, the hub will drive a substantial reduction in carbon emissions. By replacing diesel with EV charging and clean fuels, the site targets tailpipe CO2 emission cuts of 60-70% and 85-100%, respectively. Each hub will offer bookable, high-speed electric charging alongside other multi-energy alternatives, including HVO and bio-CNG.
Aegis Energy is beginning the process of preparing and submitting a planning application for the Dartford site. As part of this process, the company plans to engage with the local council, local residents, businesses and stakeholders to ensure community perspectives are reflected in the development of the project.
Michael Shaw, CEO of Aegis Energy, said:
“Decarbonising commercial transport depends on infrastructure being built at locations that serve everyday operator demand, and Dartford is one of the most strategically important freight links in the country.
“Every day, thousands of vans and HGVs pass through this corridor moving goods between London, the Midlands and continental Europe.
“If we want fleets to switch to cleaner vehicles at scale, the infrastructure has to sit exactly where those journeys happen. Securing this site allows us to do just that, placing reliable charging and low-carbon fuels right on one of the busiest logistics routes in the country.”
Charlie Withers, Director of Development at Tritax Big Box REIT plc, said:
“We are pleased to complete the sale of this Dartford site to Aegis Energy. As the logistics sector evolves alongside the transition to lower-carbon transport, sites located on major freight corridors are increasingly well placed to support new forms of infrastructure.
“This transaction reflects our commitment to supporting developments that contribute to more sustainable supply chains. Through our responsible investment approach, we aim to create long-term value for investors, occupiers and the communities surrounding our assets.”
Lord Deben, Chair of the Council for Net Zero Transport and former Environment Secretary, said:
“Britain has made enormous progress in decarbonising cars, but commercial transport remains one of the biggest challenges. Projects like this are exactly what we need; practical infrastructure that gives hauliers and fleet operators the confidence to move away from fossil fuels while keeping our economy moving.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
For all media enquiries, please contact the Aegis Energy press office team: [email protected]
Media contacts:
Aegis Energy:
+44 7861 517518
Tritax Big Box:
Tom Climie / Guy Bates
+44 (0) 7760 160 248 / +44 (0) 7581 056 415
About Aegis Energy
Aegis Energy is building the UK’s first network of clean, multi-energy hubs to accelerate the decarbonisation of commercial transport. These hubs will provide fast, reliable refuelling for trucks and vans, including electric charging, HVO, bio-CNG and hydrogen. Designed around the real-world needs of fleets, each hub offers flexibility, speed and facilities that support both operators and drivers.
Backed by £100 million from Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, Aegis Energy’s goal is to make the shift to cleaner transport energising, not overwhelming, helping fleets decarbonise on their terms and keep supply chains moving.
About Tritax Big Box REIT plc
Tritax Big Box REIT plc (ticker: BBOX) is the largest listed investor in high-quality logistics warehouse assets and controls the largest logistics-focused land platform in the UK. Tritax Big Box targets attractive and sustainable returns for shareholders by investing in and actively managing existing built investments and land suitable for logistics development.
The Company focuses on well-located, modern logistics assets, typically let to institutional-grade clients on long-term leases with upward-only rent reviews and geographic and client diversification throughout the UK.
Additionally, having adopted a “power first” approach, the Company has recently secured its first data centre development opportunities (amounting to over 250MW), and has a pipeline of c.1-gigawatt of further opportunities, offering the potential to deliver exceptional returns on an accelerated basis.