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Tag: HGV

Tate & Lyle Sugars goes all-in on electric HGVs

Posted on by David Priestman

Tate & Lyle Sugars continue to push sustainability with the introduction of two brand-new 100% electric Volvo lorries, operating around London from April 2025.

Transport emissions are one of the leading contributors to urban air pollution, and Tate & Lyle Sugars’ investment in fully electric lorries marks a step towards supporting cleaner, healthier cities and reaching its carbon neutrality targets in the UK by 2041.

Unlike traditional diesel lorries, which emit pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide that exacerbate air pollution and climate change, these electric alternatives produce zero tailpipe emissions.

The investment highlights Tate & Lyle Sugars’ ambition and commitment to becoming the most ethical and sustainable cane sugar refiner in the world, and its pledge to reduce emissions, thereby improving urban air quality.

To honour its heritage while working for a cleaner future, Tate & Lyle Sugars unveiled one of its new electric lorries outside the British Commercial Vehicle Museum in Leyland, Lancashire, which charts the UK’s commercial vehicle history since the 1800s and proudly exhibits a number of the company’s retired commercial vehicles. Chorley is also a neighbouring Lancashire town where sugar merchant, philanthropist, and one of the founders of the company Sir Henry Tate, was born in 1819.

To emphasise its evolution, a number of historic vehicles were proudly lined up and displayed outside the museum, including a horse and cart, used by Tate & Lyle Sugars to move sugar within the refinery until 1954, and two vintage vehicles; a 1913 McCurd and a 1932 Latil.

The McCurd is the only surviving vehicle of its type in the world and even appeared in the film ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’. It was restored as a box van in the ‘Tate Sugars’ livery after being used by troops during the war.

The French manufacturer, Latil, produced the versatile Latil four-wheel drive road tractor under licence in England by Shelvoke and Drury and it was used by Tate & Lyle Sugars throughout the 1930s.

Two cutting-edge Volvo electric lorries are now in operation at Tate & Lyle Sugars, serving key logistics routes in East London. One vehicle handles palletised product transfers from the Thames Refinery to an external warehouse, while the other manages bulk deliveries to major customers within the M25 and also handles sugar movements between the Thames Refinery and Plaistow factories.

Volvo has provided comprehensive hands-on training to drivers, ensuring optimal performance and battery efficiency. They will also repurpose end-of-life EV batteries for second-life energy storage to minimise waste.

A recent survey by Tate & Lyle Sugars revealed that 67%² of consumers view businesses more positively when they utilise electric vehicles, further reinforcing the necessity of sustainable operations within the supply chain.

Saving 55,000 diesel miles annually, this is roughly the distance of driving from London to Sydney and back twice, 7 round-trip flights from London to New York, 82 return coach trips between London and Edinburgh or traveling the entire length of the UK (Land’s End to John o’ Groats) 63 times.

Andrew Jones, President of Tate and Lyle Sugars, commented:

“The introduction of our 100% electric lorries marks another step forward in our commitment to being one of the world’s most ethical and environmentally responsible cane sugar refiners.

“We continually explore ways to make our logistics more sustainable — from optimising vehicle payloads to choosing greener transport methods — and remain focused on working with our customers and suppliers to build a more sustainable supply chain.

“The commemorative event at the British Commercial Vehicle Museum also celebrated this progress, showcasing our journey from 1878 to today.

“This latest move honours our heritage while accelerating our vision for a cleaner future.”

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Europe’s Largest Truck Deal of 2025

[Podcast] Electric Freightway: Decarbonising the UK’s HGVs

Posted on by David Priestman

In this episode of Logistics Business Conversations, host Peter McLeod speaks with Colm Gallagher, Chief Data Scientist at Hitachi ZeroCarbon, about the ambitious Electric Freightway initiative. With heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) responsible for 20% of UK transport emissions, Hitachi ZeroCarbon, in collaboration with Gridserve and other key industry players, is spearheading a data-driven transition towards electric HGVs.

Colm explains how this initiative tackles the “chicken-and-egg” dilemma between charging infrastructure and vehicle adoption, ensuring a synchronized rollout of electric HGVs and public/private charging networks. The discussion explores the role of real-world telemetry data in optimizing fleet operations, reducing costs, and informing industry-wide decarbonization strategies.

Key topics include

The economic viability of electric HGVs, the challenges of scaling up infrastructure, and the behavioural shift required within the logistics sector. Colm also shares insights into Hitachi’s role in analysing fleet performance, supporting operators in making data-driven decisions, and driving policy development for the UK’s 2040 diesel ban.

Tune in to discover how Electric Freightway is shaping the future of sustainable logistics, and what it means for fleet operators, policymakers, and the wider supply chain. Don’t forget to subscribe for more insights from industry leaders tackling today’s most pressing logistics challenges!

Click here to listen to this episode and more…

Businesses Urge for Electric Van MOT Deferral

Posted on by David Priestman

The Association of Fleet Operators (AFP) is calling for an official deferral for MOTs on 4.25 tonne electric vans as some fleets report finding tests “impossible” to book.

For MOT test purposes, this special category of vans is treated as a heavy goods vehicle (HGV), meaning that it has to be tested at one year old rather than three, and also faces a more rigorous examination.

Aaron Powell, fleet and logistics director at Speedy Hire is one AFP member being affected and reports that his company will have to potentially take a number of vehicles off the road.

“These 4.25 tonne vans require a Class 7 HGV MOT test and, between generally poor capacity for HGV testing and few test centres being able to handle electric vehicles, we’re finding it impossble on a practical level to book tests. Our lease provider has spent the last three months trying to find garages with the ability to carry out the pre-testing and source available slots for the test with limited success.

“This is going to have a serious impact on our business because we’re going to have to take these vans off the road and no doubt many other fleets are finding themselves in the same situation.”

Lorna McAtear, vice chair at the AFP, said: “As an organisation and at an individual member level, we’re very much focussed on safety and of course recognise the role that the MOT test plays in ensuring that vehicles operated by fleets are in a roadworthy condition.

“However, it’s questionable whether 4.25 tonne electric vans require HGV tests, an argument we have been making to government for some time. The whole point of this category of van when it was introduced in 2019 was to provide easy access for fleets to an electric equivalent of a 3.5 tonne panel van. These vehicles are simply 3.5 tonne vans with bigger batteries.

“The difficulties members are encountering around their inability to book MOT testing only emphasises this confusion. While the situation is being resolved, we would like to see government and the official bodies involved introduce some form of dispensation, similar to that created during the pandemic, allowing fleets to defer tests for a period of perhaps six or 12 months on 4.25 tonners for the first and second year of testing, giving them time to find and book testing facilities. It is disappointing that businesses working in good faith to electrify their light commercial vehicle operations are being affected in this manner.”

She added that despite a willingness on the part of government to try and overcome issues surrounding 4.25 tonne vans, problems remained.

“As a result of discussions between the Office for Zero Emissions, Driver Vehicle Standards Authority and Department for Transport, the operation of these vans on a practical level is often difficult for fleets due to confusion over whether they have been deregulated from all of the operator responsibilities that normally apply to vans over 3.5 tonnes.

“The government is aware of this and is trying to resolve the situation through the current consultation because there remains widespread belief that the 4.25 tonne concept remains worth pursuing as a means of speeding up van electrification. However, this process is taking time.”

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Solve the Driver Shortage

Rental Fleet Investment Announced

Posted on by David Priestman

Commercial fleet provider Fraikin is investing £35 million in 400 new vehicles to support its national short-term rental fleet, expanding and modernising its offering to customers across the UK.

The new additions, which are all compliant with Transport for London’s Direct Vision Standard (DVS) and equipped with Fraikin’s digital MYSMARTFLEET connected technologies package, now means that 80% of the company’s total rental fleet will be under 12 months old.

Spread across vans, LCVs and HGVs, from a range of major manufacturers, the new vehicles feature a wide selection of body types, including refrigerated, dropside, curtainside and box bodies, as well as specialist equipment such as MOFFETT carriers. Fraikin has also committed to supporting customers looking to quickly and easily reduce their carbon footprint, adding a number of fully electric 3.5-tonners to the fleet.

Peter Backhouse, Chief Executive Officer of Fraikin in the UK, says: “This significant investment clearly demonstrates the strength of Fraikin, our long-term commitment to the industry and our dedication to providing the very best mobility solutions for customers, providing access to the latest vehicles and the most diverse range of rental options available in the market today. Adding extra EVs to the fleet means we’re in a position to help businesses looking to reduce their environmental impact, alongside supporting those who may want to test the EV market before making longer term fleet decisions. This commitment to sustainability allows us to meet the needs of today but also contribute to a greener future across the industry.”

Every rental vehicle from Fraikin comes fully equipped with the company’s advanced connected technologies and telematics suite, MYSMARTFLEET. Customers can utilise features including vehicle tracking, route optimisation, digital vehicle checks, tachograph downloads, driver behaviour reporting and EV suitability assessments to help improve operational efficiency and reduce operating costs, as well as enhance fleet sustainability.

Fraikin’s full-service approach means all rental vehicles also benefit from 24/7 customer service support; a fully managed preventative maintenance and repair service via Fraikin’s UK-wide network; rapid roadside response; replacement vehicle cover; tyre management; online access to vehicle records; as well as a professional inspection and valet on every vehicle delivery.

Jackie Headon, Fraikin’s Head of Rental, adds: “Our goal is always to meet the wide-ranging needs of our clients, and this investment allows us to do just that. Through this investment we are reinforcing our commitment to delivering flexibility and scalability to customers, helping them remain compliant with new legislation and to meet the evolving needs of their businesses.”

Fraikin offers comprehensive short- and medium-term rental packages, alongside a longer-term Fraikin Xtend solution that combines the financial benefits associated with contract hire with the flexibility of short-term rental. All the new vehicles are accessible via the company’s strategically placed Northern, Midlands and Southern Rental Hubs, located in Bellshill, Coventry and Enfield respectively.

The company’s short-term rental fleet also supports customers benefiting from its contract hire and fleet management solutions, which provide total support for large and often complex operational fleet environments.

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Ryder refreshes refrigerated rental fleet with 200 new trucks and vans, and 90 trailers

 

Enhance Fleet Management with Buy-Back Services

Posted on by David Priestman

As fleet management costs continue to rise and market conditions remain unpredictable, small logistics companies and carriers are seeking innovative solutions to maintain their competitive edge. In response, ClassTrucks, a leading transport asset management company and part of the Girteka Group, is proud to introduce its Buy-Back Service – a solution designed to simplify fleet management, secure investments, and offer financial predictability.

What is a Buy-Back Service?

The Buy-Back Service from ClassTrucks guarantees the repurchase of a vehicle at a pre-agreed price after a specified period. This service operates similarly to a vehicle rental but with the added advantage of knowing the future value of the asset. For fleet managers, this translates into greater financial accuracy, eliminating the uncertainties tied to vehicle resale and fluctuating market conditions. The service is designed to offer peace of mind and financial security, whether you manage a small logistics company or a larger carrier operation.

Key Elements of the Buy-Back Service

• Predictable Costs: Enables better financial planning and stability, critical for any logistics operation.
• Easier Financing: Facilitates securing bank loans with lower monthly payments, making fleet expansion or renewal more accessible.
• Focus on Core Operations: Removes uncertainties associated with future vehicle resale, allowing businesses to concentrate on their primary activities.
• Flexible Terms: Adapts to unpredictable market conditions, offering the necessary flexibility to meet evolving business needs.

Strategic Advantage in a Competitive Market

While buy-back services are not new in the industry, ClassTrucks’ approach sets itself apart by offering a seamless and supportive experience tailored to the unique challenges of the transportation sector. As a small logistics company recently shared, “By leveraging ClassTrucks’ Buy-Back Service, we were able to expand our fleet without the financial strain, thanks to the predictable costs and easier financing options.”

“Our Buy-Back Service is more than just a financial tool; it’s a strategic advantage designed to help our clients navigate the complexities of fleet management with confidence,” said Silvestr Ochrimovič, Sales Unit Manager at ClassTrucks. “We understand the challenges our clients face, and we are committed to providing solutions that not only meet their needs but also position them for long-term success, as our partners.”

ClassTrucks specializes in the sale of second-hand commercial vehicles and is committed to supporting clients with expert advice and high-quality service. Through the Buy-Back Service, ClassTrucks helps clients manage their fleets with ease and confidence, focusing on reliability, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. By combining industry expertise with a client-centric approach, ClassTrucks positions itself as a trusted partner in the ever-evolving landscape of fleet management.

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Second-hand Truck Pre-sale Preparation

 

Large-scale Hydrogen HGV Deployment

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Novuna Vehicle Solutions, one of the UK’s largest fleet leasing providers and a leading advocate for zero-emission vehicles, today announces it has been awarded funding of over £2.1 million as part of the Tees Valley Hydrogen Vehicle Ecosystem (HYVE) Consortium, which will showcase the first large-scale deployment of fuel cell electric HGVs in the UK.

The £7 million project, part of the Tees Valley Hydrogen Transport Hub, is being funded by the Department for Transport and delivered in partnership by Innovate UK. The programme will unlock at least £15 million of private investment. Led by project coordinator ERM, the consortium will support the rollout and maintenance of fleets of fuel cell HGVs in the Tees Valley commencing later this year, supported by the construction of a strategically located hydrogen refuelling station by Exolum at their Riverside Terminal.

The publicly accessible refuelling station, near to Middlesbrough town centre and at the intersection of the A19 and A66, will be capable of dispensing up to 1.5 tonnes of hydrogen per day.

As the selected HGV leasing partner within the consortium, Novuna Vehicle Solutions will work alongside German manufacturer Quantron AG, to build, fund and manage the in-life maintenance of more than 20 fuel cell electric HGVs ranging from 4.2 to 27 tonnes deployed in the project.

These vehicles, which will be used by some of the region’s largest vehicle operators within the logistics, infrastructure, utilities and home delivery sectors, will replace diesel vehicles, reducing local air pollution and carbon emissions. Data monitoring and performance evaluation will be provided by the School of Computer Engineering and Digital Technologies at Teesside University, who have extensive experience in the fuel cell field.

Jon Lawes, Managing Director of Novuna Vehicle Solutions, said:

“This project is crucial to removing barriers and addressing the needs of operators at every stage of the ecosystem, in turn realising the commercial viability of hydrogen, at scale, and transforming the heavy transport sector which has been left behind in the road to net zero fleets. With our experience and unique capability to build, fund and manage the in-life maintenance across all vehicle types, including HGVs, we’re looking forward to collaborating with other selected participants to create a cleaner transport sector and ultimately unlock the vast potential of fuel cell hydrogen vehicles.

“Being firmly at the forefront in addressing the challenges of decarbonising heavy-duty vehicles complements our broader zero emissions strategy which is already comprehensively supporting fleets transition to Electric Vehicles.”

Novuna Vehicle Solutions, which manages over 140,000 vehicles across the UK and Europe ranging from cars and vans to HGVs and specialised assets, is also currently in discussion to support separate trials of Hydrogen vehicles for Network Rail.

Andreas Haller, CEO and Founder of Quantron AG, added:

“We are proud to be a part of this initiative. Bringing our innovative QUANTRON INSIDE technology to the UK marks a significant step forward in our global strategy and we are delighted to do this in collaboration with our partner Novuna. We are building hydrogen vehicles that reflect our commitment to sustainability to set a new environmentally friendly standard for long-haul transportation.”

Commercial Fleets Recognise Threat to Drivers

Posted on by David Priestman

There has been a steep rise in incidents of aggression and harassment towards commercial fleet drivers from both opportunistic thieves and members of the public in the past 12 months, in the opinion of leading fleet, health and safety, and technology specialists at a recent event organised by SureCam and PeopleSafe to discuss driver safeguarding and lone worker protection.

“We are seeing significantly more risk associated with working alone and in isolated areas, with London a particular hotspot for our fleet drivers,” explained Lee Jackson, Group Head of Plant & Transport and Board Director at Association of Fleet Professionals. “Incidents are occurring on a frequent basis, especially during the darker months, as opportunist thieves target vehicles and advanced equipment used by our mobile team. We are constantly looking at ways to deter this threat, undertake risk assessments, and ultimately put in place processes to minimise the dangers to our people.”

However, it is not just the threat from thieves that is on the increase, with growing aggression towards fleet drivers who are simply going about their daily routine. According to Mark Ryder, Chief Commercial Officer of Peoplesafe: “We are experiencing a greater volume of raised alerts to our alarm receiving centre. Post pandemic we have seen a real change in people’s tolerance to other road users, which has resulted in a major increase in road rage. This lack of patience and understanding can lead to verbal and physical harassment for perceived disruption where vehicles are making a delivery or simply manoeuvring.”

Philip Read, Head of Safety, Health, Risk & Resilience at G4S added: “While serious incidents within our health and patient transport services, as well as elsewhere in the business, are often sporadic, they are on the rise and can represent a significant threat to our drivers and passengers. The safety of our staff and patients is paramount, and with many of our drivers single-crewed and working autonomously, so are challenge is how we address this issue and provide the level of lone worker protection needed?”

The expert panel considered what cultural and organisational shifts were occurring within the fleet sector to foster a safer work environment for lone workers. Measuring risk to identify areas of weakness and the threats that exist was pinpointed as critical when creating an effective mitigation plan. It was clear from the discussions that communication and engagement was a key part of this process to share information and experiences, with back to the floor and ride along sessions, hazard reporting, safety tours and training all mentioned as effective tools.

In response to the situation, commercial fleets are also looking at how technology can help safeguard drivers that are working alone, out of hours and in remote locations, said Sam Footer, Director of Partnerships at SureCam. “Employee safety and wellbeing has come to the fore in recent years – particularly in fleet sectors such as logistics, utilities, highways and construction – and many businesses acknowledge that they need more robust processes to support their mobile teams both in and outside the vehicle. Every organisation has different needs to address, but what is consistent is the demand for an affordable, easy to implement and simple to use technology solution, underpinned by a clear driver protection strategy.”

There was a consensus that cutting-edge technology, such as dash cameras integrated with personal safety apps, had a major role to play in ensuring fleet drivers received the protection needed. “We need to allow fleet drivers to do their job without risk or being threatened, and by giving them this added support, it will contribute to them feeling less vulnerable and more confident,” concludes Jackson.

Transaid Exceeds Uganda Driver Training Goals

Posted on by David Priestman

International development organisation Transaid has concluded phase two of its Professional Driver Training project in Uganda, with 890 predominantly HGV drivers being trained over a two-year period – exceeding the project’s original training goal by more than 15 per cent.

Delivered in partnership with local non-governmental organisation (NGO) Safe Way Right Way, the project set out to improve the standards of driver training in a country which suffers one of Africa’s worst road traffic incident rates, claiming an estimated 12,000 lives* a year.

Key to the project was the aim of encouraging more women into the sector, which Transaid believes will benefit transport companies, contribute to improved safety and generate new career opportunities for women.

Caroline Barber, Chief Executive of Transaid, says: “Uganda is experiencing a huge rise in demand for professional drivers, and we expect this to continue increasing over the coming years. Phase two of this project set challenging training goals, and it’s a testament to the hard work of the training team that we have surpassed those expectations. The fact that around 10 per cent of the trainees were women also demonstrates an appetite for a more inclusive workforce.”

The majority of drivers trained were acquiring an HGV licence for the first time, whilst around 15 per cent benefitted from refresher modules, having not previously received formal training from Safe Way Right Way. Transaid supported the refresher training with the roll-out of six new, short refresher courses – whilst all training was accredited by the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT).

The skills of Master Trainers and Trainers were bolstered, with Quality Assurance assessments and retraining. Transaid also supported Safe Way Right Way with marketing and business strategies to encourage more drivers and fleets to enrol.

Barber added: “We were already proud of what was achieved in the first phase of this project between 2016 and 2020; this latest phase of work has helped to create a noticeable change that will last, well beyond our involvement in the project.”

Phase two was an initiative of the GIZ Employment and Skills for Development in Africa (E4D) programme, funded by the German and Norwegian governments.

Future recommendations for professional driver training in Uganda include an increased emphasis on fuel-efficient driving techniques, to improve sustainability, and the recruitment of female trainers to encourage continued involvement of female drivers.

Adopting EV Fleets Presents Challenges

Posted on by David Priestman

EV is fast becoming a top priority for many businesses, fuelled by the significant benefits that can be realised through making the switch, writes Dee Humphries (pictured), Managing Director, Equans EV Solutions. With reduced carbon emissions, financial savings, increased sustainability credentials, improved productivity, enhanced employee experience – the benefits of transitioning to an electric fleet are undeniable.

Whilst there are clear benefits on paper, it’s important to acknowledge that transitioning a fleet to EV can come with challenges. In fact, many businesses are presented with multiple barriers when they begin to adopt EV that can sometimes halt the process. However, the solution isn’t to simply admit defeat, but rather to navigate and manage the challenges effectively to ensure the transition is seamless, enabling the gain of long-term benefits.

Here, Dee Humphries, Managing Director of Equans EV Solutions, highlights some of common challenges businesses are facing when it comes to adopting EV, with the strategy to overcome them – alongside a proven framework for EV adoption.

Challenges and solutions for businesses adopting EV

A common challenge fleet operators face in the early stages of their EV transition is a lack of internal buy-in. This can come in the form of resistance from those who do not understand the benefits of EV, as well as from those who see EV as an unnecessary business cost. This is typically prevalent in industries that have historically been dependant on conventional fuel options.

To overcome this barrier, it’s important to ensure these stakeholders are engaged from the offset and the programme is aligned to the business’ overall goals. Overcoming this barrier doesn’t need to be complex, but rather about education and demonstration. Consider sharing success stories of similar businesses via case studies, reports or testimonials. This can help bring the benefits of transitioning to life, building the case for EV adoption.

Another challenge is having the capital to invest in both the required vehicles and charging infrastructure. This can be particularly challenging if EVs weren’t accounted for in long-term budgeting. However, it’s important to think of EVs in terms of total cost of ownership, instead of initial investment costs. Whilst transitioning to EV might be expensive initially, the long-term savings through lower fuel costs, reduced maintenance costs and an extended vehicle lifespan make the investment more than worthwhile. There are also ample government initiatives and schemes that are available for both infrastructure and vehicle costs, plus leasing options available, to make EVs more economically viable.

As with most things, failing to properly plan and prepare is a challenge many businesses will face as this will result in an ineffective EV integration strategy. Transitioning to EV requires an in depth understanding of new technologies, assessing operational requirements and much more. However, often resources to develop this knowledge are limited – meaning hesitations can occur, halting the transition. The solution here is to bring in the experts. This means a specialised organisation who can develop a detailed and tailored EV transition strategy that is aligned with the goals and needs of your business. This will remove any uncertainty and ensure the transition is smooth and successful.

Why now is the time to transition your fleet to EV

Despite the challenges that transitioning to EV presents, the reality is that businesses who don’t start to make the transition will get left behind. The time to start the transition is now and thankfully, with the right strategy and approach, these challenges can be overcome – meaning there’s never been a better time to do so. EV adoption has become more convenient than ever for businesses across the UK. Recent electric commercial vehicle ownership stats highlight many have already implemented EV for their fleets, with vans up 67.3%, buses and coaches increasing by 34.9%, and the number of zero emission trucks almost trebling since last year.

Concerns that would usually be front of mind for businesses looking to adopt EV their fleet would be cost and range. Both of these are steadily becoming worries of the past. Take cost – battery prices have plummeted by 89% over the past decade, making EV models increasingly competitive against petrol and diesel vehicles. There are also multiple incentives for EV adoption and charging infrastructure from the government, offering a breadth of financial support to meet the needs of all businesses.

Range capabilities have expanded considerably meaning the average modern EV can now travel over 200 miles on a full charge. This has significantly reduced the concern of range anxiety for fleets and means EV is no longer a barrier for businesses that need to travel hundreds of miles on a daily basis. Infrastructure has also grown and improved, offering a solution to keep drivers on the move when required. It’s been noted that there are now 77,531 charging connectors in 29,709 locations across the UK. This is a 194% increase compared to 2019 – meaning charging convenience has substantially improved for drivers.

A Proven Framework for Electric Vehicle Adoption

To navigate this transformative shift in fleet management, Equans EV Solutions has released a whitepaper that addresses the common questions and obstacles faced by logistics fleet operations. Drawing on over a decade of industry expertise, the whitepaper adopts a barrier-to-solution approach, focusing on challenges such as how to gain internal buy-in for EV adoption, the considerations required for designing an appropriate charging solution, and how to pilot the necessary operational and organisational changes to make EV charging a triumph.

Backed by more than 10 years of industry expertise, this whitepaper delivers critical insights logistics operators need to transition to EVs confidently and effectively. The key features include:
• Completing a comprehensive financial analysis to realise the true total cost of ownership for an electric fleet.
• Creating a strategic EV integration plan that covers organisational adjustments, infrastructure development, fleet management and training needs.
• Adopting transparent communication and assigning ‘EV champions’ to illuminate the long-term benefits of EVs to internal stakeholders which align with environmental and operational gains.

With this strategic, yet adaptable, approach towards fleet management, Equans is not only solidifying the position of businesses that adopt EVs, but also shaping a promising and eco-responsible future for the global transportation industry.

EV Truck Megawatt Charging System Early ’24

Posted on by David Priestman

Having recently commissioned the UK’s fastest EV charger and the UK’s largest truck charging depot, Vital EV is raising the bar once again by being among the first to offer a MegaWatt Charging System (MCS) to help decarbonise the truck industry.

Whereas electric vehicles now make-up more than 1-in-6 car and 1-in-20 van sales in the UK, less than 1-in-100 newly-registered trucks are electric. Charging infrastructure has been highlighted as one of the key barriers preventing the electric transition in the HGV sector, which now makes up more than 25% of the total CO2 emissions from transport.

The Kempower MCS from Vital EV is ideally-suited to truck charging applications, providing up to 1.2 MegaWatts (1,200kW) of ultra-rapid DC charging and adding up to 372 miles of range during a 30-minute charging session.

The new charging solution is based on Kempower’s existing hub-and-spoke architecture, with the two Kempower Power Units coupling up to accommodate up to 24 50kW power modules (1,200kW or 1.2MW). This power is then dynamically distributed to the liquid-cooled Satellite Chargers – which have been fitted with the new MCS plug and, with a footprint of less than 0.25m², boast the highest power-to-footprint ratio on the market.

The MCS plug has been specifically designed to deliver the higher charging power required by heavy-duty vehicles like trucks and there are currently no plans to replace the CCS2 connectors used in lighter EVs like cars and vans.

Alex Rae, General Manager & Director at Vital EV, commented: “Decarbonising the truck industry is crucial for the UK’s net-zero strategy and we are delighted to be among the first to market with a viable charging solution for overnight, destination and en-route applications. With our background in industrial power engineering and a range of ground-breaking EV charging projects already under our belt, we are ideally placed to deliver critical MCS infrastructure projects and we look forward with excitement to working with the truck industry to make that fundamental switch to electric.”

Through the ZERFT (Zero Emission Road Freight) programme, the UK government has committed £200m until 2030 to developing infrastructure and lay the foundations for the most advanced electric truck charging networks, known as the ‘Electric Highway’.

As part of the ‘Trust’ aftersales support, Vital EV’s Networks team will continuously monitor the status of the chargers via our Occulus charging management portal, and carry out planned and reactive maintenance – including over-the-air (OTA) updates – to maximise charger uptime.

 

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