TUAL, the leading innovator in swappable powerbanks and versatile charging solutions for commercial electric vehicles, announces the completion of a highly successful trial of its rapidly deployable battery-buffered DC charger, the PowerUp Charger, with industry-leading supply chain solutions provider Wincanton.
The month-long trial was conducted at one of the Wincanton e-fleet operating sites in the UK. Taking place in West London, the pilot reinforced highly efficient logistics services that are critically dependent on maximising vehicle uptime and productivity.
Image: TUAL
Underpinning the duty cycles of 19 large- and medium-sized fully electric vans, TUAL’s PowerUp Charger majors on speed of deployment for marginal-grid-capacity sites – taking 15 minutes to unload, install, and deliver high-speed, off-grid DC charging.
Delivered in partnership with Wincanton, Connected Places Catapult and Department for Transport, the demonstration showcased the ability for battery-integrated charging to increase available on-site capacity by up to 250%.
The PowerUp Charger helped Wincanton deliver an average 4.9 high-power DC charges per day, using an 11kW connection that previously delivered 1.2 low-power (AC) charges per day.
Contributing to Wincanton’s ongoing commitment to achieving net-zero operations by 2040, the PowerUp Charger also facilitated 3,138 clean-air miles during its four weeks in operation – saving 1,560kg of CO2 emissions.
A natural extension of TUAL’s industry-leading vehicle powerbank solutions, the PowerUp Charger uses the same robust design and innovative technology – providing sites facing limited energy supply with dependable DC power to keep vehicles on the road when it matters most.
Philip Clarke, CEO and Founder of TUAL: “Myself and the whole TUAL team are delighted to see Wincanton and their 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.”
Claire Charlton, Head of Innovation at Wincanton: “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.”
According to TUAL’s analysis, 50-80% of sites looking to electrify have constrained or absent grid connections. Obtaining the grid upgrades required for high-powered charging make the EV transition unviable for many fleets and commercial landlords. They typically take 1 to 3 years, with significant upfront capex required – ranging from £150,000 to £3 million, at an average of £500,000.
Combining energy storage and fast DC charging in one package, TUAL’s new PowerUp Charger is primed to relieve fleet operators and commercial landlords of the prohibitive timelines and costs holding up electrification.
The PowerUp Charger is designed to make full use of sites’ energy capacity, transforming an unusable site into a viable recharge location overnight. The solution draws and stores available grid power when most efficient, while renewable-power sources can be integrated to avoid the need for further battery storage.
Fleet operators and commercial landlords can subsequently deploy the power as required, delivering high-power charging up to 120kW – giving operators the intensive charging needed to maximise vehicle uptime, and tenants the confidence to commit to the EV transition.
