Project Jolt – Real-World eHGVs Without the Guesswork

Can electric HGVs really deliver under pressure? What if the transition to zero-emission freight wasn’t a gamble, but a data-backed, road-tested strategy?

In this episode, we explore Project Jolt, a groundbreaking UK trial involving DP World, John Lewis, Nestlé, four major truck manufacturers, and a digital twin-powered approach to fleet transformation.

Inside the episode:

• Why 15,000 real-world eHGV miles matter more than any lab test
• How fleets are eliminating range anxiety with smart metrics
• The surprising business case insights behind charging strategies
• What battery degradation really means for long-term value
• Why SMEs can’t be left behind in the freight transition

With commentary on logistics, data modelling, and profitability from the ZeroMission team, this episode is a must-listen for anyone serious about de-risking electric fleet operations.

Because electrifying your fleet isn’t about luck, it’s about intelligence.

Plug into the future of freight. Hit play.

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Connect with our team Alan Crowley, Kevin Christopher, Brenda Shanahan, Stephen Breen, Liam Nolan, Callum Hennessy Cian Kavanagh, Niamh Quinn

Transcript

At ZeroMission, we’ve always said: “Electrifying trucks isn’t about plugging in, it’s about plugging into intelligence.” That’s why we’re closely following the progress of Project Jolt, a groundbreaking initiative that echoes everything we stand for in fleet intelligence, digital twin modelling, and risk-free transition pathways.

Led by the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight, Project Jolt brings together a powerhouse consortium of truck manufacturers, fleet operators, technologists, and researchers, including household names like DP World, Nestlé, and John Lewis Partnership, to do what too few have dared: test, analyse, model, and de-risk the electric HGV transition in real-world operations.

Proving the Power of EV Trucks, Mile by Mile

DP World’s early results are already electrifying:

• 170 runs
• 15,000 miles driven
• Return journeys of 72 miles between Swindon and Oxford
• Simple charging metrics that wiped out range anxiety

According to Dave Munday, Transport Operations Manager at DP World, “Project Jolt has provided us with the intelligence, knowledge and confidence in our 12-week trial to be comfortable in operating an electric fleet.”

That’s the kind of confidence we help build every day at ZeroMission, with our éxō Fleet Intelligence Platform, we deliver similar predictive insight, data clarity, and confidence to fleets wrestling with multi-fuel complexity.

The Energy Transition Doesn’t Get a Rehearsal, But It Does Get a Digital Twin

As Professor David Cebon, Project Jolt lead, puts it:

“We don’t get a chance to rehearse the energy transition. We only get one chance to do it.”

That’s why Project Jolt’s use of digital twins, mobile fast charging, and flexible modelling is so important. From warehouse layouts to payload impacts, from Scope 3 emissions to battery degradation curves, this project is gathering the granular, real-world insight that fleet operators actually need.

Real Charging, Real Conditions, Real Answers

The consortium's shared pool of vehicles, supplied by DAF, Mercedes-Benz, Scania, and Volvo, aren’t being tested in labs. They’re running live logistics. Better yet, they’re backed by mobile 350kW fast chargers powered by HVO, allowing testing at multiple depots and hubs, not just in ideal conditions.

This mirrors exactly the challenges we see across our customer base. At ZeroMission, we constantly help fleets model:

• Peak vs off-peak charging schedules
• Mixed depot-public roaming infrastructure
• Battery degradation vs lifetime value
• Vehicle utilisation under real workload pressure

Because charging is not just an engineering problem. It’s a logistics strategy.

It's All About the Business Case

Profitable transition. That’s the phrase that matters most. Project Jolt gets that.

From payload penalties to charging downtime, logistics reconfiguration to residual battery value, this trial is unpacking every cost implication and every opportunity for optimisation.

And it’s not just big players. The project has a critical focus on SME fleets, who run 70% of the UK’s trucks, fleets with fewer decarbonisation resources, less in-house expertise, and much higher operational flexibility needs.

These are precisely the fleets that ZeroMission designs its solutions for:
 • Intelligent scheduling
 • Predictive maintenance
 • Integrated charging and route modelling
 • Multi-fuel operational decision support
 • Scope 3 visibility for contract hauliers

Why ZeroMission Believes Project Jolt Is a Blueprint for Fleet Transformation

We’re not just watching Project Jolt with interest, we’re cheering it on as a proof of concept for what ZeroMission does every day.

Just like Project Jolt, our platform exists to:

• Model logistics trade-offs before they cause disruptions
• Align charging infrastructure to real-world usage
• Predict the lifecycle value of new technologies
• Enable SME and enterprise fleets alike to act with confidence

It’s not about selling more chargers or electric vehicles; it’s about solving the operational puzzle.

Because hardware alone doesn’t transition fleets, intelligence does.

Final Thought: The EV Transition Is Happening. Project Jolt Is Showing How to Do It Well.

As fleets across Europe and North America wrestle with how to begin (or scale) their electric truck deployments, the insight from Project Jolt can help them do it without guesswork.

At ZeroMission, we’re ready to support fleet operators, large and small, who want to build their own digital twin, simulate what the future holds, and move toward zero-emission logistics without risking operations.

Whether you're trialling two trucks or two hundred, we help you plug in to more than just power, we help you plug in to certainty.