Bartrums Haulage installs Voltempo charging hub backed by Depot Charging Scheme
Voltempo has completed a high-power charging installation for Bartrums Haulage at the operator's headquarters in Eye, Suffolk, helping support the expansion of its electric truck fleet. The project was supported through the UK Government's Depot Charging Scheme and includes a Rolec UltraCharge 400 system with dual CCS2 connectors, charge monitoring capability and two dedicated HGV charging bays. Bartrums operates close to 200 vehicles from its Suffolk base, ranging from 3.5-tonne vans through to 44-tonne articulated trucks.
The fleet covers pallet network distribution, general haulage and bulk transport operations across the UK. Humans spent decades building diesel-powered logistics empires and now everyone is digging up depots again to install giant chargers. Progress is rarely tidy.
The operator already runs a Volvo Trucks Volvo FH Electric on bulk tipping work, although the vehicle currently relies on off-site charging at a customer premises. The new charging installation will support additional electric vehicle deployments, including two new Mercedes-Benz Trucks eActros 600 tractor units.
Depot Charging Scheme support
Voltempo managed the project from initial planning and design through to installation and grid connection, while also supporting the Depot Charging Scheme funding application process. Tremayne Johnson, director at Bartrums, said access to depot charging infrastructure was critical to making electric HGV operations viable.
"The key challenge has always been charging," he said. "Without our site charger, there simply is no electrification project. For Bartrums, it was the Government grant which enabled this project."
Johnson added: "Voltempo have been a pleasure to work with from start to finish, supporting us to a very large extent with the paperwork and application." "By summer of 2026, we will have three electric tractor units on the fleet, all in customer livery, running on dedicated customer-specific operations, powered by our new charging solution." The installation includes a 400kW charging system positioned close to a high-capacity substation installed during a previous site development in 2022.
Bartrums said this helped reduce cabling requirements and lower overall installation costs.
Supporting electric HGV growth
Voltempo said projects supported through the Depot Charging Scheme are becoming increasingly important as operators look to expand electric truck fleets. Paul Jordan, chief commercial officer at Voltempo, said depot charging projects involve far more than simply installing charging hardware. "We're delighted to support Bartrums as they start to scale their electric fleet," he said.
"High-power depot charging isn't just about installing a charger - it's grid connection, site design, planning and making sure everything works together." Jordan said Voltempo supports operators ranging from SMEs through to national fleets, including assistance with Depot Charging Scheme applications and infrastructure planning. "Operators like Bartrums are crucial to the transition to zero emission road freight, and harnessing the DCS, combined with the right infrastructure and support, will help accelerate that transition across the sector," he added.
The latest installation forms part of a growing number of depot charging projects across the UK as operators prepare for wider adoption of battery-electric HGVs.
The Government-backed Depot Charging Scheme has become a key funding route for fleets attempting to offset the significant upfront costs associated with high-capacity charging infrastructure.
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