As part of our commitment to more sustainable working methods, Marlborough Highways recently trialled an all-electric excavator on a busy site in the London Borough of Islington.

The Volvo ECR25 – a compact, zero-emission machine – took on demanding carriageway breakout works at the junction of Essex Road and Canonbury Road. With no access to mains electricity, we needed a smart solution to keep the machine running throughout the week without disrupting productivity.

To overcome this challenge, Marlborough partnered with Charge Fairy, an innovative mobile charging start-up that delivers electricity to vehicles as and when needed. This flexibility not only reduced equipment downtime — by coordinating charging sessions with scheduled breaks and end-of-day windows, the team was able to maintain productivity, proving that electric plant can hold its own on challenging urban sites.

The success of the trial was down to close collaboration between Marlborough Highways, Islington Council, Charge Fairy, SMT GB and Volvo Construction Equipment. It was a pleasure to welcome Ed Lea (Founder, Charge Fairy), Mat Bredborg (Volvo CE), Tom Poulter (SMT GB) and Tim Hayes (Partner Development Manager) to site, as we worked together to trial one of the UK’s first mobile charging pilots for electric plant.

The initiative was well received by Islington Council, a long-standing champion of sustainable technology. It also marked a meaningful step forward in our journey towards carbon neutrality by the end of 2025, well ahead of the government’s national targets.

Reflecting on the demo, Matthew Hoiles, Marlborough’s Head of Transport & Plant said:

“Our recent trial in Islington showed what’s possible when the right partners come together with a shared ambition. Running electric plant in an urban environment has always been a challenge, but by bringing power directly to the machines, we’ve proven it can be done efficiently, safely and with minimal disruption. As we continue our journey towards sustainable construction, the lessons learned here will help shape the steps we take in the coming months and years.”

Tim Haynes from SMT added:

“SMT is dedicated to providing all our customers with industry-leading solutions that facilitate a transition towards more sustainable and net-zero operations. The recent trial of the Volvo ECR25 Electric excavator by Marlborough Highways exemplifies the potential results of collaborative efforts between our valued partners. SMT is proud to support Marlborough Highways in making significant advancements today on their urban work sites, where removing equipment emissions can substantially and positively impact public health.”

The trial drew praise from all partners involved, with Volvo CE’s Mats Bredborg commenting:

“Smart charging, zero emissions, no excuses. This trial shows how mobile power and electric machines can deliver clean, quiet, efficient worksites — right in the heart of the city.”

Charge Fairy’s Ed Lea also shared his thoughts on the success of the trial:

“At Charge Fairy, we believe that intelligent energy delivery makes operating electric machines easier and more efficient than diesel equivalents. It was fantastic to successfully demonstrate this in Islington with Marlborough Highways, and we look forward to scaling this solution across more projects in the future.”