Tarmac’s Electric Freight Leap: eHGVs and Smart Charging Network Rollout

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Tarmac, the UK’s leading construction materials firm, has announced an ambitious electrification initiative poised to reshape logistics across London and the South East. The company will deploy a fleet of electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs) dedicated to transporting cement, asphalt, aggregates and concrete blocks. At the same time, Tarmac is constructing a bespoke electric charging network to support these eHGVs, enabled through funding from the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Development (ZEHID) programme and delivered alongside Innovate UK support.

This effort forms part of the wider eFREIGHT 2030 consortium and builds upon Tarmac’s earlier adoption of electric-ready mix concrete vehicles, in operation since 2022. The new fleet and its charging network are slated to become operational in early 2026

The charging infrastructure includes Voltempo chargers located strategically across Tarmac’s London and South East plants specifically, Paddington concrete plant, Harper Lane asphalt plant, Linford blocks plant and its HGV base in Northfleet, Kent. A standout feature is a 250 kW DC charger at the Paddington site, enabling simultaneous charging while offloading material. In Northfleet, a high-capacity Voltempo HyperCharger Megawatt Charging System (MCS) will be capable of delivering up to 1 MW of power, dynamically allocating capacity across six trucks concurrently.

The electrification of Tarmac’s fleet represents a major step for low-carbon construction logistics, reducing both emissions and dependency on diesel-powered transport in one of the country’s highest‑carbon sectors. By collaborating with Renault Trucks, DAF Trucks and Voltempo, and leveraging significant government funding via ZEHID and Innovate UK, Tarmac is leveraging innovation to accelerate net-zero delivery across infrastructure supply chains.

What this means:
This development signals a significant shift in decarbonising freight logistics, particularly within the construction sector. The integration of eHGVs and powerful, location‑specific charging infrastructure promises improved operational efficiency and the potential to reduce carbon emissions substantially. It demonstrates the feasibility of scaling zero-emission heavy transport through targeted public‑private cooperation and investment. As a pioneering model, Tarmac’s approach sets a benchmark for wider adoption among logistics operators and materials suppliers, reaffirming that net‑zero construction transport is both achievable and economically viable.

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