Building materials producer Tarmac said it will introduce an initial fleet of battery-electric heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and establish a dedicated high-power charging network to support low-carbon construction logistics across London and the South East, with operations set to begin in early 2026.
The first phase will see five electric HGVs deployed in partnership with Renault Trucks and DAF Trucks to transport cement, asphalt, aggregates and concrete blocks for major construction and infrastructure projects. The initiative is backed by the UK government’s £200 million Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Development programme delivered through the Department for Transport and Innovate UK.
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The project forms part of the eFREIGHT 2030 consortium, under which Tarmac is working with charging specialist Voltempo and other cross-industry partners to roll out the supporting infrastructure. Charging sites will be installed at the company’s Paddington concrete plant, Harper Lane asphalt plant, Linford blocks facility and the Northfleet HGV base in Kent, alongside a Fleete Group charging hub at the Port of Tilbury.
At the Paddington site, a 250 kW DC charger will allow electric trucks to recharge during material offloading. In Northfleet, a Voltempo HyperCharger Megawatt Charging System will provide up to 1 megawatt of power to a single vehicle or dynamically across up to six trucks.
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“These significant new additions to our electric fleet together with a London-wide charging network mean that we’re scaling electrification and helping customers cut carbon across construction logistics,” said Ben Garner, Director of Logistics at Tarmac. He added that the approach enables low-carbon, multimodal deliveries, combining rail transport for inbound materials with electric road transport for onward distribution.
Michael Boxwell, founder of Voltempo, said the programme reflects a broader shift within heavy-duty transport. “Tarmac’s commitment to decarbonising logistics is second to none. Their leadership and willingness to invest in electric HGVs and charging network infrastructure including Voltempo’s ultra-rapid HyperCharger MCS is exactly the kind of ambition we need to drive real change across the sector,” he said.
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Tarmac is also expanding electrification beyond freight vehicles. The company recently added Scotland’s first fully electric concrete mixer following a two-month operational trial across the Central Belt. Developed with Renault Trucks and TVS Interfleet, the vehicle is based on the Renault Trucks E-Tech C platform and can carry up to 10 cubic metres of concrete with a range of up to 110 km per charge, or up to 140 km with an intermediate rapid charge, according to the manufacturer.
Four additional electric mixers are now operating in England as part of a broader national rollout. Tom Preston, Readymix Business Manager for Scotland at Tarmac, said the introduction supports “cleaner air, lower emissions and more sustainable deliveries across the Central Belt.” Dan Whiley, National Logistics Optimisation and Development Manager at Tarmac, described the deployment as “a significant milestone” in building a nationwide low-carbon fleet.
