Electrifying heavy transport, without compromising uptime

The group’s journey began in 2012 with TW Zero Fleet, starting with a single truck. By 2020, the company introduced its first electric dump truck and today operates a fleet of 21 vehicles – all fully electric. When Norwegian authorities began tightening regulations around transport emissions and construction sites, Tom Wilhelmsen saw opportunity rather than obstacles. 

By switching early to electric vehicles, TW Zero Fleet became the first company in Europe to operate a 100% electric dump truck fleet in its segment. The decision brought immediate operational benefits: grants for both vehicles and charging infrastructure, exemptions or strong reductions in road tolls and congestion charges, and unrestricted access throughout Oslo. Together, these advantages significantly improved efficiency and profitability.

Moving from diesel to electric trucks meant more than just replacing vehicles. It required a complete rethink of operational processes and energy supply. The trucks now leave the depot fully charged every morning, return during lunch breaks for fast charging, and continue working through the afternoon. As the fleet grew, charging demand increased rapidly, while the available grid connection could not deliver the peak power required.

Charging became unpredictable, public chargers were used more frequently, and energy costs rose.

To solve this, TW Zero Group partnered with Atlas Copco to design an efficient hybrid energy solution combining fast chargers, a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), and intelligent energy control. The BESS’ smart controller provides full control over the setup and enables peak shaving by supplying additional power during periods of high demand. It also empowers the fast chargers to operate at full capacity despite grid limitations, and utilize the most from the solar production.

The depot is namely also equipped with rooftop solar panels at what the company calls its “Circular Park,” where contaminated excavated materials are recycled. Surplus solar energy is stored in the BESS and used when it delivers the highest value.

With Atlas Copco’s power and energy control solution in place, uptime at the depot has improved significantly. More kilowatt-hours are delivered on-site, reducing the need for public charging and allowing the trucks to spend more time on the road. The company now benefits from a lower cost per kilometres driven and a stronger return on its investment in electrification and solar energy.

With further plans to implement an Energy Management System (EMS), the group will optimize energy flows between solar production, BESS, and the grid based on prices and charging demand. The result will be higher self consumption of solar energy, lower operating costs, and improved uptime.

By turning energy from a constraint into an operational asset, TW Zero Group has secured a scalable foundation for continued growth – and demonstrated how smart power solutions from Atlas Copco can enable the next generation of electric transport.