Transport for London, with FM Conway, is under-taking a six-week trial for zero-emission construction vehicles that can be recharged on the move
Three locations are seeing the trial for mobile charging construction vehicles, all within Redcliffe Gardens, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
The trial is being undertaken by Transport for London (TfL) and FM Conway, in partnership with Volvo Construction Equipment, SMT, and Charge Fairy.
The mobile charging construction vehicles can be charged in an hour
The trial is intended to tackle diesel construction vehicles. Diesel construction excavators are responsible for 100,000 cars worth of carbon emissions per year.
The mayor of London has set a target for London to be net zero carbon by 2030, and replacing construction vehicles with zero carbon replacements would be a massive contribution to this target.
The mobile charging technology is being provided by Charge Fairy, and the technology can provide real-time feedback on the state of the vehicle as it charges. The vehicles can be charged on-site from a charging van sent out to the site. This method will reduce the downtime of electric vehicles, as they can be recharged in as little as one hour.
The three projects undertaken in Redcliffe Gardens as a part of the mobile charging construction vehicles trial intend to improve pedestrian safety through raising sections of the road that slow traffic down. The projects will also improve accessibility to bus stops.
Saving carbon emissions will be essential for future construction
Data obtained from the mobile-charging construction vehicles trial so far show that in two weeks, the electric excavator saved over 100kg of CO2 emissions, the equivalent of driving a car for 600km.
These vehicles also save NOx, particulate matter, non-methane hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide.
Carl Eddleston, TfL’s director of network management and resilience, said: “The health of everybody in London is central to our work, and we are determined to meet our 2030 net zero targets. That’s why I’m so pleased that we’re continuing to take these important steps to reduce emissions and protect air quality.
“The trial of electric construction vehicles at Redcliffe Gardens is such a vital part of achieving our goals, and our work with FM Conway, Volvo CE, and Charge Fairy shows how construction across our transport network can be environmentally conscious.
“We are going to review the trial results and carry on exploring the best ways to decarbonise our network construction chain.”
Mats Bredborg, electrification leader for Volvo Construction Equipment, said: “Many Londoners may not realise that the smaller diesel construction machines they pass by every day are entirely exempt from emissions controls. This means they emit disproportionately high levels of harmful pollutants like NOx and particulate matter, contributing to poor air quality and posing serious public health risks.
“That’s why initiatives like this are so important—bringing the industry together to deliver a fully operational, electric, zero-tailpipe-emission solution that helps create cleaner, healthier streets for London.”
Matt Tallon, sustainability director at FM Conway said: “FM Conway is always looking for ways to support Transport for London in reaching their net zero ambitions, and a strong supply chain filled with companies willing to innovate has been key in the delivery of this trial.
“This bespoke charging solution removes many of the barriers we have faced in the use of electric plant machinery, and we’ve seen from the works on Redcliffe Gardens that it represents a viable option for similar sites in future.”
Ed Lea, founder of Charge Fairy, said: “As pioneers in mobile charging as a service, we’re excited to bring Charge Fairy technology to the construction industry. We’ve long advocated that bringing energy to electric vehicles can make more sense than taking the vehicle to a charger—nowhere is this more true than with construction equipment.
“Our work at Redcliffe Gardens with TfL, Conway, and Volvo CE has demonstrated how intelligent energy delivery enables electric plant to operate for a full workday, overcoming one of the key challenges of construction electrification.”
