A new interactive planning tool is being made available to Scottish hauliers to help them assess the infrastructure requirements of switching diesel HGVs to electric power.
ScotVolt has been developed for Transport Scotland by researchers at Heriot-Watt University and the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight.
Using data from around 80,000 real truck journeys in Scotland, the dashboard allows operators to model charging requirements, assess electricity demand and identify potential constraints on the local power grid.
Fleet owners, hauliers, delivery companies and logistics firms are being invited to test the tool against their own routes and provide feedback.
The dashboard covers six major freight corridors: the A9 between Eurocentral and Inverness; the A90 between Eurocentral and Aberdeen; the A1 between Bathgate and Newcastle; the M74 between Bathgate and Carlisle; the A77 between Bathgate and Cairnryan; and the A75 between Carlisle and Cairnryan.
Users can test 56 different scenarios over a one-year period, adjusting variables including battery size, charging speed, depot charging availability and seasonal energy consumption.
Professor Phil Greening, a logistics expert at Heriot-Watt University and deputy director of the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight, said: “One of the main barriers to decarbonising road freight is the inherent risk and uncertainty involved in such a large-scale transformation.
“It’s difficult for governments or businesses to invest in zero emission vehicles or technologies without a clear understanding of what this involves and what impact it could have.
“This is where computer modelling tools like ScotVolt can use real-world data to provide some answers – and derisk decision-making around freight decarbonisation.”
The research has identified five recurring factors affecting Scotland’s transition to zero-emission road freight, with implications for fleet and infrastructure planning.
Increasing battery capacity from 500kWh to 1,000kWh roughly halves the number of trucks requiring en-route charging stops and quarters daily energy demand at highway charging sites, as more recharging takes place at depots.
Winter energy consumption is around 50% higher than in summer for the same network and battery configuration. The researchers attribute this to increased cabin heating requirements, denser cold air and battery efficiency losses, meaning sites that appear viable in summer may face grid constraints during colder months.
Adding depot charging across Scotland would roughly triple the number of charging sites required but increase total daily energy consumption by only 20% to 40%.
The research also highlights the importance of local grid capacity, with the feasibility of charging installations depending on the available headroom at individual electricity substations.
Charging sites must also be designed to accommodate peak simultaneous demand, rather than being sized solely according to average daily energy consumption.
Dr Siti Fariya, a transport and logistics researcher at Heriot-Watt University who led development of the interactive dashboard, said: “Truck operators can test our tool by starting with a scenario their know.
“They can pick a season, route, depot type and battery size that matches one of their own routes and then load it. They can then flip any of the variables to see the impact.
“For example, what happens if they switch from 500 to 1000 kWh vehicle battery? Or if they instal electric charging bays in their depot? Ultimately our aim is to help fleet owners and operators make decisions about their own transition to electric trucks.”
The RHA, which has followed ScotVolt’s development through its membership of Scotland’s Zero Emission Truck Taskforce, said the dashboard could help operators address uncertainty over charging provision.
Chris Ashley, RHA net zero lead, said: “Our members are already bringing electric vehicles into their fleets. But where and how those fleets will charge is still uncertain for many operators. ScotVolt sheds welcome light on this question and gives operators a practical tool to test their own real-world scenarios.”
The Scottish Wholesale Association has also supported the development of the dashboard. Colin Smith, chief executive, said: “Our own trials have shown that electric HGVs can match, and in some cases exceed, diesel performance on local wholesale delivery routes.
“The challenge now is making sure Scotland has the right charging infrastructure in the right places to give businesses the confidence to make that transition.
“ScotVolt is a valuable tool because it uses real-world freight data to help identify where charging will be needed and allows operators to explore what electrification could mean for their own routes.
“That kind of evidence will be vital in helping industry, along with infrastructure providers, plan effectively and accelerate the transition to zero-emission road freight.”
Earlier research by the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight identified a need for at least 63 charging points along Scotland’s major freight routes, including the A9, A90 and M74. Of these, 26 were already built or under development, leaving 37 additional sites required.
The dashboard includes existing and planned charging locations, together with nearby electricity substations and information on whether projected charging demand would exceed available grid capacity.
Users can also see estimated charging bay requirements, vehicle numbers and daily electricity consumption at individual sites, and create custom routes between hubs.
ScotVolt builds on two years of research commissioned by Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government through Scotland’s HGV Decarbonisation Pathway, published in March 2024.
