How close are we to a future of all-electric HGVs?

Let’s be honest, HGVs have not traditionally been associated with low-carbon technology. Diesel-powered internal combustion engines have been a mainstay of the logistics industry for the best part of 90 years (and the rest). As a direct result, currently more than 95% of HGVs are diesel powered, which is why innovations like our TankSafe and TankSafe Shield anti-siphon devices are in such high demand. It also means there’s been a major drive (if you’ll pardon the pun) to electrify the nation’s logistics industry.

However, road freight is one of the most difficult parts of the industry to bring down to Net Zero. All the main challenges of transitioning to electric-powered vehicles are amplified with HGVs, including the range required, the battery weight, and the (current) lack of suitable charging infrastructure.

But with ever-greater numbers of electric cars on our roads, and the government under more domestic and international pressure than ever to cut emissions, how long before we start to see electric HGVs take over from diesel vehicles?

Electric HGVs – charging ahead?

When it comes to the planned transformation of the nation’s HGVs, one of the biggest single influences is the government’s commitment to Net Zero. As part of that wider initiative, more and more cities across the UK are implementing strict air quality reforms, including London, Bath, Newcastle and Bristol.

As part of the Net Zero initiative, the government plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars (as well as hybrids) by 2035. The sale of new diesel HGVs will then follow in 2040 – a move that was understandably met with scepticism from the industry at the time. (It’s worth noting that the original 2030 date cited in that article for petrol and diesel cars was eventually moved to 2035, as we’ve covered here.)

Lots of major companies are now trying to get ahead of the curve on the 2040 date, including some of the world’s biggest brands (in other words, those who can afford to invest a lot of money up front). Amazon, PepsiCo and the Coca Cola Company are some of the most notable, each having already conducted their own high-profile trials.

So yes, electric HGVs are already here, and there are plenty on our roads already. But crucially, they’re still dwarfed by the number of diesel powered HGVs.

We still have a long way to go

HGVs were actually originally included in that 2035 cut-off date, but after an outcry from the industry, the government admitted that it looked unlikely to make that deadline, and so the date for HGVs was moved to 2040 instead. But even that looks like it might be tricky. While the technology is available, and to some extent the will is clearly there, there are still major obstacles.

Well, right off the bat we’ll tell you two of the biggest: cost, and range anxiety. Put simply, electric lorries are still very expensive, and require a steep up-front investment that not many companies can afford to put forward, with the exceptions of some of the world’s biggest brands.

Even with that, the charging infrastructure in the UK isn’t anywhere near where it needs to be, so HGVs on longer journeys (i.e. the majority of them) run a major risk of not having enough power to make it between charging stations. And factoring in stops for charging has the potential to have its own impact on operations, which can have knock-on effects on the industry as a whole.

These are just two factors that were specifically named in a relatively recent report from the Green Finance Institute, which estimated that the government needs £100 billion to decarbonise the nation’s HGVs. To its credit, that doesn’t seem to have deterred government’s commitment to its Transport Decarbonisation Plan (TDP), which sets a pathway to achieving net zero emissions across every single mode of transport by 2050.

To that end, the Government has earmarked £200 million to fund electric truck trials. But that programme is going to take a few more years yet. And even if the programme proves a success, there are still several more obstacles, including licences. Namely, a standard driving licence allows the driver to carry weights of up to 3500kg, but electric vehicles are much heavier than their counterparts due to the extra weight of the batteries, which means that if the law doesn’t change, then commercial vehicles will by law be required to carry considerably less cargo in order to continue meeting the safe weight limit – which again has the potential to generate a major knock-on effect for the industry.

So all told, while there’s no question that electric trucks are on the way, they’re likely to be quite some time off yet.

That means that the fuel security of your fleet will likely still remain a key priority for some years to come – which is where we come in here at TankSafe. Our TankSafe Optimum can be particularly useful for helping to prevent fuel spills – as well as giving you complete protection against fuel theft.  

You can read more about how TankSafe Optimum works, or don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team here at TankSafe if you have any further questions about the best ways to protect your fuel in 2024. Give us a quick call on 01253 400 401, and we'll be happy to help however we can!