How to Get Value from EV Trials: What we’ve learnt from AV Dawson’s Electric HGV Pilot 

By Simon Farr, Marketing Director

AV Dawson Transport recently partnered with VEV to put a fully electric 42-tonne HGV to the test across its customer logistics network. In just 10 days, the trial covered over 1,800 miles and 42 journeys – cutting 2.3 tonnes of emissions. But beyond the numbers, it provided valuable insights into how fleet operators can extract real value from EV trials. 

Here’s what we’ve learned.

Mirror Real-World Operations

To generate actionable insights, an EV trial must replicate the demands of your actual logistics operations. 

That’s exactly what AV Dawson did – running the electric HGV on a range of customer routes, including for British Steel. The vehicle handled industrial payloads across varied distances and conditions, proving its viability under pressure. 

Help Your Customers Meet their ESG Goals 

EV trials can have a dual impact: helping your business reduce Scope 1 emissions and enabling your customers to cut Scope 3 emissions.  

For AV Dawson, this meant providing cleaner transport options to major clients. By cutting direct emissions from haulage, they supported their customers’ wider supply chain decarbonisation efforts.  

“Our direct emissions are our customers’ Scope 3 emissions. That gives us a powerful role to play in helping them achieve their net-zero goals.”
Jon Booth, Head of Sustainability, AV Dawson

Measure Beyond Carbon 

The benefits of EVs go further than emissions savings. AV Dawson assessed performance, uptime, route compatibility, driver comfort, and maintenance efficiency. 

The data helped them determine where electric trucks could offer operational value and where further planning is required. 

Support from a Trusted Partner Makes All the Difference

VEV’s managed trial service brought together the vehicle, infrastructure and data needed to deliver a seamless experience. 

From route planning to post-trial analysis, the service enabled AV Dawson to build confidence in future fleet decisions – without slowing operations.

Unlock Strategic Advantage

Transport accounts for ~30% of UK emissions, with HGVs making up a large share in regions like the Northeast. Trials like this are a key step in reshaping industrial logistics at scale. 

For AV Dawson, the trial marked a critical milestone in their ESG strategy and opened future opportunities to lead on sustainability within port and haulage logistics. 

 Final Thoughts 

EV trials are about more than testing a vehicle. They’re about testing a future. 

By designing trials around operational needs and sustainability goals and working with expert partners like VEV – organisations like AV Dawson are showing how to turn pilot projects into long-term value.

Get in touch to learn more about VEV’s managed trial service. 

August 2025