PragmaCharge has this week (19 June) launched a modular platform to offer electric-trucking-as-a-service’ for commercial fleet operators in the UK and Europe.
The new platform will offer an end-to-end electrification solution for fleet owners including leasing Battery Electric Trucks (BETs) and installing charging infrastructure (PragmaCharge Hubs) at logistics hubs.
The hubs will begin with 350kW chargers but are optimised to upgrade to the Megawatt Charging System (MCS) upon its launch in 2024 to fully charge a BET in 45 minutes.
At present, 24% of the UK’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from the transport sector, with heavy goods vehicles accounting for the majority at 19%, said PragmaCharge.
To aid the electrification of these fleets the sector has doubled-downed on its decarbonisation efforts with 70 new electric truck models set to launce in 2024, the company added.
Regulation is also requiring an increased uptake in electric transportation. For example, the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate holds a target of 22% of manufacturer sales to be electric from its launch in 2024.
However, there are a number of barriers to the uptake of electric trucks such as range anxiety.
This concern is arguably more pressing for medium to heavy-duty trucks due to a lower concentration of suitable charging infrastructure which leads to anxiety over assumed loss of productivity due to the need to charge during core driver operating hours.
To help address this, PragmaCharge has strategically located charging hubs in high traffic locations with truck dwell time such as ports and railheads to optimise fleet uptime.
“Our Fleet Management Software Platform and the business model is scalable to address multiple use-cases within the commercial transport sector,” said Henry Lawson, director of PragmaCharge.
“PragmaCharge-Hubs will significantly increase fleet uptime. Initially equipped with 350kW chargers, they shall be designed to seamlessly up-power to Megawatt Charging Standard to reduce the full charging time to ca. 45 minutes – the mandatory rest period for truck drivers”.