For UK operators, the decision to transition from their existing internal combustion engine (ICE) fleets to electric alternatives is shrouded in uncertainty. A good example of this is the derisory £18m grant allocated to operators who are considering the procurement of electric trucks.
In the 26-tonne-plus category, for example, a potential grant of £120,000 per unit allows for the purchase of just 150 vehicles. This is simply too little, too late.
If the government and the industry are serious about decarbonising road freight through the electrification of the HGV sector, then around £24bn will be required to transition the 200,000 HGVs that are currently operating as 26-tonne-plus ICE vehicles.
That £24bn would need to be made available over the next 14 years, up to 2040, when legislation mandates the banning of internal combustion engines for vehicles over 26 tonnes. This equates to £1.7bn per annum, which is almost 100 times more than what is currently on offer.
In my view, this highlights not only the enormity of the challenge, but also how out of touch the government is with what UK operators actually need in terms of support if they are to be persuaded to make the transition.
The 200,000 HGVs above 26 tonnes represent just 0.5% of the UK’s 40 million vehicle population, yet they are responsible for more than 10% of the £35bn raised annually through fuel duty and road taxation. Decarbonising this group of vehicles would deliver a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions, but it is going to require grant support of at least £1.7bn per year for the next 14 years in order to achieve that.
Total UK government spending in 2026 is expected to be approximately £1.4 trillion. Against that backdrop, allocating £1.7bn per annum to HGV electrification is, in my opinion, little more than a rounding error and should be proposed as a priority action for both the transport and environmental departments of government.
The major truck manufacturers have already invested billions in developing and building the latest electric vehicles. They should not be fined for failing to achieve unrealistic sales quotas. Instead, they should be supported through government grants that increase the speed of transition and, at the same time, ensure that appropriate charging infrastructure is developed in parallel.
It is time, therefore, to bring this uncertainty to an end and to provide a far more effective, grant-based solution that genuinely encourages operators to make the necessary change.
Des Evans, author and transport consultant
