Lidl expands its electric truck charging network at Dutch logistics centers
Lidl has opened its sixth fast-charging hub for electric trucks at its distribution center in Waddinxveen, the Netherlands. This brings all six of the discount retailer’s regional logistics centers equipped with their own charging infrastructure. The company believes these facilities meet the requirements needed to supply all 440 of its Dutch stores with electric vehicles starting in 2027.
Image: Lidl
Lidl states that the charging hub in Waddinxveen completes the nationwide expansion of charging infrastructure. The other distribution centers are located in Almere, Heerenveen, Oosterhout, Weert, and Etten-Leur. From Waddinxveen, Lidl supplies stores in South Holland province and parts of Utrecht. According to the company, only green electricity is used for charging, some of which comes from solar panels on the roof of the distribution center.
Lidl does not disclose how many charging stations with what capacity have been installed in Waddinxveen. A press photo provided shows charging systems from ABB and Kempower. In Almere, where a new fast-charging hub began operating in June, the grocery retailer uses both CCS fast chargers and an MCS charging station that is expected to provide up to 1.2 MW of power. It remains unclear whether the new location also has an MCS charging station.
Fast chargers also available to external parties
Like at other logistics centers, the charging infrastructure in Waddinxveen is not only available to Lidl and its transportation partners. Shipping companies and other businesses in the area are also meant to be able to use the fast charging stations at favorable rates with guaranteed charging times. In this way, Lidl aims to make better use of the existing network capacity. According to Lidl, this provides a concrete solution to the network constraints faced by many companies and promotes sustainability across the entire transportation sector.
Electric delivery starting in 2027
With this opening, Lidl moves much closer to its own goal. In June, the supermarket chain announced that it would fully switch to electric trucks for delivering goods to its stores by 2027, three years earlier than originally planned. With this step set for 2027, Lidl claims to become the world’s first retailer to deliver goods electrically to all stores in a country.
Lidl began initial tests with electric delivery trucks in Amsterdam over a decade ago. According to the company, the most recent electric trucks have a range of over 500 kilometers. It remains unclear how many electric trucks will be needed for a complete transition. Once again, Lidl does not specify the size of its fleet.