Gridserve and partners join forces to determine charging requirements for electric HGVs
Wed 21 February 2024
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Leading EV infrastructure provider Gridserve has joined forces with DAF Trucks, Volvo Trucks and Renault Trucks in a collaboration to support progress in the UK’s electric HGV (eHGV) charging infrastructure. The design phase of the Government-funded Electric Freightway programme is based around Gridserve’s Braintree electric forecourt.
This field research is in preparation for the design of both public and depot-based EV charging infrastructure that Gridserve will install during the first two years of the Electric Freightway’s seven-year project lifespan. This includes more than 200 high power 350kW-capable chargers across key motorway service areas, more than ten commercial depots and at least two x 1 megawatt (MW) capacity chargers.
John Whybrow, eHGV Programme Director for Gridserve said: “We want to understand how best to support the 140 electric trucks that will be involved in the project, and how to provide these myriad use cases with the appropriate infrastructure that will make them work seamlessly for their operators,” explains. “This is the benefit of having such breadth and depth in our consortium.”
Ron Smith, Driver Trainer at DAF Trucks said: “Braintree is a great facility for electric cars, but now we need the same sort of focus on trucks if we want to move forwards.”
Martin Kearns, Head of Electric Sales Development at Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland said: “The needs of truck drivers are very different to car drivers. These are operational vehicles with payloads and commercials that sit behind them, so charging has to be reliable, consistent and a reservation booking system is going to be critical.”
Simon Calado, Energy Transition Manager for Renault Trucks UK, said: “As a brand, we [Renault Trucks] probably have the broadest portfolio of electric vehicles on offer, ranging from light commercials all the way up to 44 tonnes. You can easily cover 300kms with battery electric trucks on sale today, but operators need proof that those ranges are repeatable in the real world. An evidence-based approach from the Electric Freightway project will support the argument for battery electric HGVs.”
Understanding the variety of route and use cases in the trial, and comparing this data with a baseline of diesel-powered fleets will be supported by Gridserve’s principal partner Hitachi ZeroCarbon. The data will allow Gridserve to size its charger and energy offering appropriate to the demand and install infrastructure in the optimal locations, helping to bridge the gaps between busy depots and public eHGV charging stations.
The findings are expected to be published in Hitachi ZeroCarbon’s first report on design and feasibility of the Electric Freightway. The report will be released this spring, with Gridserve committing to install its first eHGV chargers in late summer.
Photo: Courtesy Gridserve
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