New research from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has found that there is not a single HGV-dedicated electric charging or hydrogen filling point in the UK.
With just over a decade to go until the deadline for selling new petrol and diesel HGVs, the sector is now calling for urgent government action, warning that it is impossible for operators to consider investment in zero-emission fleets while the charging network remains so undeveloped.
It says the expansion of infrastructure must also be matched to wider support for the sector. The UK is behind many other countries in this regard as just eight of the 20 zero emission truck models on the market are eligible for the Plug-in Truck Grant.Furthermore, other countries, including France and Finland, provide up to triple the sum available to UK operators.
The SMMT is calling for government to deliver a strategy within the next 12 months that focuses on the specific requirements of HGVs to enable operators to plan and invest, while minimising additional logistics costs that inevitably would be passed on to the consumer.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “With just over a decade until the UK begins to phase out new diesel trucks, we cannot afford to delay a strategy that will deliver the world’s first decarbonised HGV sector.
“Manufacturers are investing billions in electric and hydrogen vehicles that will deliver massive CO2 savings, and it is vital that operators making long-term decisions today have full confidence in these technologies, that they will be commercially viable and allow them to keep costs down for consumers. A successful transition requires a long-term plan to drive the rollout of a dedicated UK-wide HGV charging and fuelling network, combined with world-leading incentives to encourage uptake and attract model allocation – a plan that will keep a greener Britain on the move and globally competitive.”
