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Viewpoint
Electric HGV rollout hindered by infrastructure and utilisation gaps
Electric HGV adoption is being hampered by charging infrastructure shortfalls and a critical ‘utilisation gap’, warns Pall-Ex’s Paul Pegg. Despite trials showing promise in high-density regional routes, limited range, charging times and policy uncertainty continue to challenge the commercial viability of fleet-wide electrification.
Battery swapping returns as grid flexibility tool, not speed fix
The case for battery swapping isn’t speed—it’s what those batteries do between truck visits. With CATL running 305 stations in China and UK trials underway at MIRA, the model is being reframed as energy trading infrastructure that happens to serve trucks. But OEM alignment and station economics remain unresolved.
Why the LCV market is hesitating on electric and what fleet operators should do about it
SMMT data reveals a light commercial vehicle market in transition but not in sync with regulatory timelines. Diesel share has dropped sharply, BEV registrations are up 9.5% year-to-date, but operators face fuel volatility, infrastructure delays and a widening gap to the 24% ZEV mandate target for 2026.
EU’s HGV CO2 credit mechanism delays electric truck transition
Brussels has flattened the emissions trajectory for truck manufacturers through 2029 and allowed surplus credits to offset 2030 targets. Industry warns the move removes urgency from electric development while doing nothing to solve the infrastructure crisis constraining uptake.
UK government Depot Charging Scheme favours those prepared to move quickly
The DfT’s Depot Charging Scheme offers fleets up to 70% funding for electric charging infrastructure, with a £1m cap per organisation. The first-come, first-served window closes 30 June 2026, requiring works completion by March 2027.
Battery payload loss: Why eHGVs are uneconomic at 44 tonnes
Battery weight is costing 44-tonne electric HGVs 3.3 tonnes of payload capacity — an 11.8% loss that adds £28,282 to annual operating costs compared to diesel, according to the RHA’s first operator-surveyed study. The 2-tonne derogation does not apply to six-axle artics, creating a structural barrier to heavy freight electrification.
Why the smart money might be on hydrogen combustion for heavy fleet decarbonisation
Fleet operators face a decarbonisation challenge that requires different solutions for different applications. Range demands. Payload considerations. Refuelling infrastructure. Operating environments.
Fleets’ decarbonisation concerns are valid – but early movers will still prosper
The UK’s commercial transport sector is on the cusp of something extraordinary. Customer demand, government assistance, and fleet ambition have aligned to make a national decarbonisation effort feel truly tangible.
Lack of technicians not vehicles or chargers holding back EV adoption
The EV revolution isn’t being stalled by batteries, infrastructure, or regulation: it’s being stalled by a lack of skilled technicians.
Scope 3 goes legal: contracts demand carbon clarity
In UK transport and logistics, the rules of the game have changed. Winning contracts is no longer just about moving goods faster or cheaper, it’s about moving them cleaner. That’s because large customers and supply chain partners increasingly expect environmental performance to be as robust as operational performance. Sustainability has ...
Supporting the drive to decarbonisation: what’s right for your fleet?
For decarbonising HGV fleets, both electrification and hydrogen fuel present viable pathways to achieving zero emissions. The suitability of each depends on factors like fleet size, range requirements, and operating conditions.
Here’s how our sector will look 120 years from now…
To mark MT’s 120th anniversary, we asked leading figures from the transport and logistics industry to journey 120 years into the future. In the first of a series of articles, author and transport consultant Dennis Evans gives us his candid predictions