HGVs to go electric 10 years after cars, says UK Government

The UK Government has finally confirmed the date in which the sale of new petrol and diesel HGVs will be banned, with it set to take place some 10 years after new fossil-fuelled cars will be banned. 

In 2040, haulage companies will have to look towards more environmentally-friendly options for moving around their cargo, which could include electric HGVs. However, this is one area that is less developed than the car market. 

We’ve heard of some electric HGVs, such as the Tesla Semi, but most of them are yet to actually be on the road and in the hands of customers. In fact, the ones that are on the road have one major problem - range. 

While Tesla promises a range of around 500 miles in its HGV, something like the Renault D Z.E offers only a paltry 186 miles, and when it comes to trucks, range actually matters. 

Cars aren’t often travelling hundreds of miles each day, as they usually go from a person’s home to their place of work or to the retail store, while trucks may have to make multiple stops in a day across long distances. 

That’s why the Government is being sensible in giving HGVs an extra 10 years on top of cars, as electrifying the heavy vehicle market is going to be a challenge. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not a challenge worth pursuing, as Cressall made clear when it wrote an article for us last year. 

This editorial originally appeared on the Electrical Review Newsletter dated July 15, 2021.