Bert&You and Chargepoly have launched a groundbreaking project that significantly reduces the total cost of ownership (TCO) for an electric lorry fleet. This initiative demonstrates that road freight electrification can be both operationally effective and financially viable.
Bert&You is leading the way at two of its depots, located in Sorgues and Saint-Rambert-d’Albon. The company has worked with a strong ecosystem to electrify its freight operations: Renault Trucks and Volvo Trucks supplied the electric vehicles, Chargepoly delivered the charging infrastructure and services, and a dedicated flexibility platform optimises charging against electricity markets.
The two charging stations, designed and built in France by Chargepoly, provide a combined capacity of 400 kW. Located on the strategic Lyon–Aix/Marseille corridor, they currently power three electric lorries (one Renault rigid and two Volvo FM tractors), with room for future expansion.
“Thanks to our collaboration with Chargepoly, we’ve gone well beyond basic electrification. We have significantly improved the TCO of our electric fleet by unlocking gains through energy flexibility, which in turn helps finance part of the investment in each charging station,” explains Yann Colin, Director of Green Mobility at Bert&You.
£2,500 in annual savings per lorry through smart charging
Chargepoly’s next-generation charging solution combines heavy-duty charging infrastructure with real-time optimisation based on electricity market signals.
The principle: turning every charging session into an economic opportunity, without compromising vehicle availability.
In practice:
- Operational data from the electric fleet (routes, mileage, battery levels at arrival/departure, vehicle type) and charging station capacity are collected and analysed by Lucie, Chargepoly’s cloud platform.
- This data is then transmitted in real time to a flexibility platform, which continuously calculates the most profitable charging strategy in line with spot electricity prices and market mechanisms.
- The strategy is executed locally by Chargepoly’s charging station, even in case of lost connectivity, dynamically pausing or starting charging to maximise savings.
Fleet managers also benefit from unified real-time monitoring via Lucie, with the ability to override settings for urgent charging or priority changes.
The results speak for themselves:
- 75% reduction in charging costs compared with unmanaged charging.
- 60% reduction compared with traditional off-peak charging.
- On certain days, Bert&You was even paid to charge its vehicles.
- Annual savings are estimated at €3,000 (£2,500) per lorry.
A replicable model for large-scale fleet electrification
This project shows that it is possible to electrify a fleet while safeguarding operational performance and controlling costs.
Chargepoly’s solution has been designed for easy replication across the haulage industry:
- Its heavy-duty charging stations already ensure interoperability with six OEMs and 17 electric lorry models worldwide.
- The Lucie platform is built to integrate with vehicle telematics, route management tools, and flexibility market solutions (such as Dreev).
“The electrification potential of road freight is immense, but it is also a highly demanding sector. With this successful deployment and thanks to Bert&You’s trust, we are proving that Chargepoly can deliver the lowest TCO for hauliers. Beyond cost savings, freight electrification also provides critical flexibility services to the power grid,” concludes Thomas Vanquaethem, Deputy CEO of Chargepoly.
A new era begins for electric lorry fleets: more profitable, more controllable, and more sustainable.
About Chargepoly
Over the last few years, Chargepoly has established itself as a trusted partner for the electrification of heavy goods and commercial vehicle fleets. The company designs, develops and operates high-performance recharging infrastructures and services specially tailored to the needs of the logistics and transport industries. Chargepoly currently employs 50 people and operates in Western Europe (head office in Aix-en-Provence, France), the United Kingdom (London) and North America, with offices in the United States (Seattle) and Canada (Quebec). The company works closely with heavy vehicle manufacturers and installs public and private stations for fleet operators, logistics providers and shippers. Thanks to its in-house design and proprietary technology, Chargepoly offers its customers reliable, intelligent and scalable recharging solutions. Its innovative software platform, Lucie, simplifies fleet management, optimises operating costs and facilitates decision-making. Chargepoly stations stand out for their performance and longevity, with high-quality components and a design focused on reparability and interoperability. Chargepoly also offers flexible financing solutions, enabling its customers to optimise their investment and land development. Its ‘fabless’ business model – with no production plant of its own – gives it great agility: the company can adapt its supply chain according to its customers’ needs, while guaranteeing controlled technical support and reduced environmental impact. Chargepoly’s main shareholders are industrialists committed to the energy transition, in particular Fidève Groupe, a historic investor and recognised player in the electrical engineering and mechanical engineering industry for over 50 years.
FRENCH PRESS CONTACT
Célia Lopez – Europe Communications Director
P. +33 6 79 12 06 74 – M. celia.lopez@chargepoly.com