Bartrums set to expand EV fleet with high-power charging installation

Bartrums Haulage has commissioned a high-power charging system for its Eye, Suffolk headquarters, which will enable it to expand its electric HGV fleet. The solution was delivered by EV charging equipment manufacturer Voltempo.

The project, supported through the UK government’s Depot Charging Scheme (DCS), features a Rolec UltraCharge 400 unit equipped with dual CCS2 connectors and charge monitoring capability.

Bartrums runs close to 200 vehicles nationwide, from 3.5‑tonnes to 44‑tonne articulated trucks across pallet distribution, general haulage and bulk transport. The business is an early adopter of electric vehicles and already operates a Volvo FH Electric on bulk tipping work, which is currently charged off‑site at a customer location.

The new charging infrastructure is intended to support the introduction of additional electric trucks, including two Mercedes‑Benz eActros 600 tractor units.

Voltempo oversaw the project from design and planning through to installation and grid connection, acting as a single point of contact and managing the DCS funding application process.

Tremayne Johnson, director at Bartrums, said: “The key challenge has always been charging. Without our site charger, there simply is no electrification project. For Bartrums, it was the government grant which enabled this project. Voltempo have been a pleasure to work with from start to finish, supporting us to a very large extent with the paperwork and application.

“By summer of 2026, we will have three electric tractor units on the fleet, all in customer livery, running on dedicated customer-specific operations, powered by our new charging solution.”

The installation incorporates a 400kW charging system and two dedicated HGV charging bays, positioned next to a high‑capacity substation installed during a 2022 site development, reducing cabling requirements and the overall cost.

According to Voltempo, the success of projects of this type depends on appropriate infrastructure, and effective use of available funding mechanisms to accelerate the shift to decarbonised freight.

Paul Jordan, chief commercial officer at Voltempo, said: “We’re delighted to support Bartrums as they start to scale their electric fleet.

“High-power depot charging isn’t just about installing a charger – it’s grid connection, site design, planning and making sure everything works together. That’s where we support customers of all sizes, from SMEs through to the largest national fleets, and provide expert guidance to facilitate the DCS application process from start to finish.

“Operators like Bartrums are crucial to the transition to zero emission road freight, and harnessing the DCS, combined with the right infrastructure and support, will help accelerate that transition across the sector.”