All Viewpoints articles
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FCZ ArticleUK 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.
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FCZ ArticleBattery 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.
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FCZ ArticleWhy 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. Often, a single technology cannot fit every operational requirement. Hydrogen combustion offers one answer within that mix. Not a universal solution, but a practical option for ...
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MT ArticleFleets’ 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.
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FCZ ArticleLack 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.
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FCZ ArticleScope 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 ...
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FCZ ArticleSupporting the drive to decarbonisation: what’s right for your fleet?
Hydrogen dispenser at Metrobus’ bus depot in Crawley 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. When comparing the two, hydrogen vehicles tend to ...
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FCZ ArticleHere’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
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FCZ ArticleThe long road to decarbonising waste transportation
One of the biggest challenges in decarbonising the waste management sector is reducing emissions from transport, particularly the transition of HGV fleets to low-carbon alternatives. While the exact solution remains uncertain, one thing is clear: change is inevitable, and we must seize the opportunity to make progress.
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FCZ ArticleThe upcoming zero-emission HGV revolution
The UK’s push for net zero is entering a critical phase. While early efforts have focused on decarbonising sectors like energy and personal transport, attention has now turned to commercial transport - one of the hardest industries to abate. HGVs play an essential role in keeping supply ...
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FCZ ArticleDigital management: The key to unlocking fleet efficiency and net zero success
Transport and logistics professionals are keenly aware that transportation is the second-largest source of global greenhouse gas emissions, releasing more than 8 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
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CommentaryShould zero mean zero?
In this week’s commentary, FCZ’s Andy Salter questions the UK’s truck Decarbonisation strategy, highlighting the challenges of electrification and the need to embrace low-carbon alternatives like HVO and biomethane to make immediate progress. Without wishing to appear unduly contrary, we wonder if it’s time to take a reality check and ...
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CommentaryRail as a silver bullet? Not so fast
For this week’s commentary, FCZ’s Andy Salter contemplates whether it’s time to revisit the case for rail freight in the race to decarbonise road transport, particularly given the new government’s penchant for rail at the moment. “We need to see freight as a system, rather than a series of ...
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CommentaryThe hydrogen debate in transport: a reality check
In this week’s commentary, Jamie Sands of Welch’s Transport takes a hard look at hydrogen’s place in the decarbonisation of road transport. Once touted as a rival to battery-electric solutions, hydrogen’s role is now under scrutiny. Sands examines its challenges and limited potential in niche applications.
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CommentaryNow is the time to engage with your local energy networks
At this year’s Motor Transport Decarbonisation Summit, one message came through loud and clear: energy networks are often a major hurdle for logistics companies looking to decarbonise. Energy journalist and commentator Janet Wood, explains why now is a pivotal time to engage with your energy network operator. Speaking as part ...
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CommentaryWhy HVO is the interim decarbonisation solution that the freight industry needs
For this week’s commentary, Ollie Bradshaw, Sustainability Manager at Certas Energy, explores why Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) will play an essential role in the transition to net zero emissions in the freight industry. While HVO consumption in the UK has more than doubled in the last two years, this fuel ...
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CommentaryDriving down freight emissions Down Under
This week, Brisbane-based consultancy MOV3MENT shares insights on Australia’s push to decarbonise road freight. Director Mark Gjerek explores the progress, challenges, and innovations driving the sector toward zero emissions. In the competitive spirit of our Ashes cricket rivalry, we couldn’t resist working out whether the UK or Australia is ‘winning’ ...
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CommentaryThink Tank focuses on charging challenges
In preparation for next week’s Motor Transport Decarbonisation Summit, we have published the findings from the Freight Carbon Zero Think Tank we organised with Volvo Trucks earlier this year. The event brought together a number of fleet operators, charge point operators and energy industry specialists for a workshop focused on ...
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CommentaryIt’s all about the infrastructure stupid…
Dr Andreas Gorbach, a member of the board at Daimler Trucks, recently took to LinkedIn to highlight some areas of agreement amongst the European truck manufacturers. Regular readers will recall that this time last year, we leaned on another insightful post from Andreas when he was commenting about renewable ...
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CommentaryThe power play: Relode’s vision for electrifying the UK's transport network
We were pretty impressed when we interviewed new energy infrastructure firm Relode recently; its ambitious plans to build a nationwide network of gigawatt-scale Power Parks sound like they are going to massively benefit the road transport sector. Laura Hailstone reflects on the detail. Relode’s plans to develop Power Parks across ...