How TUAL and Wincanton are Boosting Sustainable Logistics

Integrating electrification in logistics is vital for improving air quality, reducing carbon emissions and reducing long-term operating costs. 

Not only does it catalyse the transition to a low-carbon supply chain and align with global sustainability goals, it also enhances energy efficiency and supports regulatory compliance.

TUAL has completed a month-long trial of its deployable, battery-buffered DC fast charger, PowerUp Charger, with Wincanton.

The trial highlighted the charger’s ability to improve on-site charging capacity by up to 250% and enable 4.9 high-power DC charges every day (compared to only 1.2 low-power AC charges previously).

The trial took place at one of Wincanton’s e-fleet operating sites in West London. 

Philip Clarke, CEO and Founder of TUAL, explains: “Myself and the whole TUAL team are delighted to see Wincanton and its clients benefit from our battery-buffered DC PowerUp Charger technology – successfully delivering the dependable, cost-effective and rapidly deployable fast charging that lies at the core of our mission.

“That undertaking is a critically important one in the shift to sustainable fleet operations; businesses across the UK needing to electrify are faced with sites that don’t have the grid capacity to make an efficient transition possible. 

“We’re excited to continue our work in helping fleets to electrify faster, and would like to thank Wincanton for their commitment and passion for innovation in realising that mission.”

The Wincanton Trial

TUAL held the month-long trial at one of Wincanton’s e-fleet operating sites in the UK. 

It enhanced efficient fleet logistics and supported 19 medium- and large-sized electric vans.

The charger enabled high-speed DC charging at a marginal grid-capacity site and only took 15 minutes to upload, install and deliver.

TUAL’s PowerUp Charger will also help Wincanton deliver greater progress towards its goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 and being the leading provider of net-zero solutions for property, fleet and waste. 

Claire Charlton, Head of Innovation at Wincanton, states: “On behalf of the whole Wincanton team, I’d like to extend our thanks to TUAL for their cutting-edge technology and their professionalism throughout this pilot.

“Solutions such as TUAL’s are central to making our net-zero ambitions happen, and smart innovation is essential for helping businesses expedite the expansion of their fleet electrification, cost-effectively. 

“I would also like to extend my thanks to DfT and Connected Places Catapult for delivering the hugely successful Freight Innovation Fund programme.”

Why is charging innovation important? 

EV adoption in logistics and supply chains can be accelerated through charging innovation, ensuring fleets can operate efficiently.

Smart charging and battery-buffered technologies result in greater deployment and scalability. 

Charging infrastructure must evolve as EV adoption grows to become more cost-effective, accessible and integrated with renewable energy to improve the future of logistics operations. 

TUAL’s analysis found that 50%-80% of sites wanting to electrify face absent or constrained grid connections, making the EV transition to a greener future more difficult. 

Organisations also face price difficulties, with grid upgrades for EV development potentially taking up to three years and costing between £150,000 and £3 million. 

The PowerUp Charger strives to tackle barriers that organisations face surrounding EV fleet electrification by storing and delivering energy on demand. It can offer up to 120kW of high-power DC charging, allowing businesses to enhance their logistics with a sustainable and efficient solution.

The future of sustainable logistics

The future of sustainable logistics will be determined by investment, innovation and collaboration. 

Hydrogen and biofuels will support long-haul freight while battery-buffered charing solutions, such as TUAL’s PowerUp Charger, will help organisations embrace fleet electrification without expensive grid upgrades.

Organisations must overcome barriers like regulatory gaps and significant infrastructure costs through policy support and collaboration to accelerate the transition to future-ready, low-carbon logistics.

Not only will TUAL’s PowerUp Charger empower fleet depots and distribution centres to embrace the transition to EVs faster but it will also help to reduce charging downtime to enhance logistics efficiency.

Wincanton’s trial with TUAL highlights how logistics organisations can tackle charging infrastructure challenges and improve the future of logistics by utilising smart charging infrastructure like TUAL’s PowerUp Charger. 

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