Gregory Group has partnered with Stagecoach to access its rapid charging infrastructure at the coach firm's Inverness bus depot.
The company has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions from its operations by 2038, with the electrification of its HGV fleet playing a key role in reaching that target.
However, suitable charging infrastructure is acting as a barrier. On a regular route operated by Gregory subsidiary Pollock between Bathgate, near Glasgow, and Inverness, each return journey covers more than 320 miles.
While the electric HGVs could comfortably complete the outbound leg, finding somewhere suitable to recharge for the return journey proved difficult. Public charging infrastructure in northern Scotland remains limited, with few facilities capable of accommodating large articulated lorries.
The arrangement for Gregory Group to use Stagecoach's rapid EV charging infrastructure is made possible through the coach firm's Chargd initiative, which gives external fleets access to charging infrastructure at selected bus depots when the facilities are not required for buses.
Under the partnership, four Gregory HGVs now stop at Stagecoach's Inverness depot every day, seven days a week, to recharge before beginning their return journey to Bathgate.
Stagecoach schedules access to the chargers around Gregory's delivery timetable, helping the logistics operator integrate charging into its existing routes without compromising service.
The project has so far delivered reported emissions reductions of 484.5393 tCO2e. Gregory says the vehicles would have generated 96% more emissions if the same work had been carried out using diesel trucks.
Paul Jefferson, Group Legal & Sustainability Director for Gregory Group said: “This is the first partnership of this kind for us, and it’s played a key role in helping us on our electrification journey – while also supporting our customers in reducing their Scope 3 emissions too.
"Without a partner like Stagecoach, this project would be incredibly challenging, as EV charging infrastructure in northern Scotland is so sparse, particularly for the likes of arctic lorries. Having the Chargd Programme open to Gregory has really helped our usage of battery electric HGVs in Scotland to flourish, and we are exploring possibilities for expanding our partnership into other regions in the future.”
Mike Smith, Business Development Director at Stagecoach, said: “Chargd is proving popular for fleets seeking convenient and reliable charging solutions, beyond the often-expensive public infrastructure network, where accessibility and availability aren’t always guaranteed.
“As a business, we’re keen to support fleets looking to transition to EVs. Six Chargd facilities are already live throughout the UK, with more in development, as we seek to create a nationwide sustainable, accessible and affordable EV charging solution for UK fleets.”
“Without partnerships like Chargd, it can be challenging for businesses such as ours to transition fleets to electric, due to the lead time and administrative overhead of building your own charging infrastructure” concludes Paul from Gregory. “Stagecoach is providing a genuine way forward that saves costs and allows us to expand our EV range.”
