From November 25 to 27, 2024, ElaadNL, BMWT and ENI co-hosted the first-ever BuildZero Test Event at the ElaadNL Testlab in Arnhem. The event brought together manufacturers of electric construction equipment, battery systems and DC charging stations to test one critical question: can we truly connect it all?
With the rise of zero-emission construction, charging infrastructure for mobile heavy-duty machinery is a challenge. Interoperability—making sure all components work together—is essential for reliable and scalable deployment of electric machinery on construction sites.
During the three-day event, 23 engineers from various manufacturers tested:
The tests were conducted in eight structured test rounds, with different setups, simulated typical on-site conditions, enabling manufacturers to test real-world charging behavior and protocol compatibility.
The main conclusions from the three days of testing are:
All vehicles successfully charged at all stations. However, some vehicles required configuration changes. Most combinations defaulted to the older DIN 70121 protocol, limiting access to advanced features like smart charging and session pausing.
Only half of the combinations tested supported smart charging. While some sessions used dynamic profiles via OCPP, others relied on manual power adjustments, that is less realistic in practical deployments. More than half of smart charging tests were successful—especially those using OCPP profiles.
To unlock the full potential of zero-emission construction, ElaadNL recommends the following improvements:
All participants emphasized the value of participating in the first BuildZero Test Event and its collaborative, hands-on approach. They expressed interest in future BuildZero events—with more edge cases, AC-charging machines, and firmware testing on site.
The second edition of the event is scheduled from 19th-21st May 2025. During this second BuildZero test Event, interoperability, smart charging, grid power quality and cybersecurity aspects will be tested, together with the key findings from the first event, on different machines from various brands. If you are interested in attending this event as a tester or manufacturer of building equipment, please contact Jan Karens for the possibilities.
ElaadNL also welcomes partners for testing aside from the test Events. Let’s accelerate the shift to zero-emission construction together.
Read the full technical test report with all data, protocols, setups and findings.