All four consortia and more than 400 attendees gathered together for the ZEHID progress summit where plans for 54 new infrastructure hubs were announced. The event began with a keynote by Lilian Greenwood MP, future of roads minister, followed by updates from eFreight 2030, HyHaul, Project Electric Freightway and ZenFreight.
Greenwood said: “The shift to zero emission HGVs isn’t just about meeting climate targets, it’s about making sure Britain’s freight industry stays competitive, resilient and ready for the future, and it’s already happening. Thanks to real investment, real infrastructure and real commitment from government and industry, we’re moving towards the biggest transformation in road freight for a generation.”
Charging infrastructure is due to be strategically located across England, Scotland and Wales with a mixture of semi-public depot charging and public charging on motorways and A-roads. Around 90% of infrastructure will focus on depot charging solutions while the remaining 10% will be publicly accessible motorway services facilities. Where possible, sites are being made megawatt-ready in preparation for future upgrades when trucks can accept 1MW charging rates.
Hydrogen refuelling hubs will initially focus on the M4 corridor with sites in Avonmouth and Swansea, the position of a third location is being considered. While the 54 planned hubs will be constructed under the ZEHID programme, the summit also explored infrastructure collaborations with existing bus depots.
Andy Gwilliam, decarbonisation delivery programme manager at First UK Bus, explained the company is designing its depots as shared spaces for buses, trucks, coaches and vans. To bring charging costs down, Gwilliam proposed an increase in charging volume from truck operators in return for cheaper charging costs.
This collaborative approach was a consistent theme throughout the day, looking at how different consortia and businesses can work together to further the common goal to decarbonise road freight.
Before the majority of the trucks and infrastructure are live, towards the end of this year, there is still a lot of work to be done. Mostly, this will focus on working out digital solutions to support these deployments, looking at booking systems for charging and optimising charging costs. A key operational objective is to establish how the semi-public network of shared depot charging can be appropriately managed.
Greenwood concluded: “Yes, challenges remain, but let’s be honest, this industry has never shied away from a challenge. Freight is built on resilience. It’s built on innovation. It’s built on businesses that adapt, evolve and thrive, and the government stands with you.”
Added Chris Ashley, RHA senior policy lead: “We are very pleased at the announcement of the long-awaited map of government-funded public electric charging and hydrogen refilling points for zero emission HGVs in the UK.
“This development will give operators more confidence when planning the transition of their fleets to non-diesel vehicles.
“We look forward to seeing more information about these sites and will continue to work with governments, stakeholders and our industry on charting a supportive journey to net zero.”
However, Wincanton chief executive James Wroath said that while the announcement was “a crucial step towards greener logistics”, there was “still a long road ahead”.
“The logistics and transport sector has a critical part to play in meeting the nation’s net-zero commitments, and the role of electric heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in achieving this cannot be underestimated,” he added. “But, until now, range restrictions and lack of charging infrastructure have presented a huge challenge to operating sustainable HGV fleets.
“Despite this announcement, there are still other significant barriers in the adoption of alternative fuels and systems. Cost remains an issue. Our recent research found that just 25% of logistics and supply chain decision makers think alternative fuel vehicles will be affordable within the next four to six years. With more than half (54%) of UK logistics and supply chain businesses saying they will struggle to hit their net-zero targets, it’s vital that government and industry works together at pace to remove cost barriers, accelerate infrastructure roll-out, and provide clear, long-term incentives that give businesses the confidence to invest.”
