Comment by Lowri Williams, Transport Practice Manager – Infrastructure and Engineering

While trucks hauling freight around the UK are restricted from the fast lane, the same doesn’t have to be true of the mission to make them green. Good news for those running freight firms, the companies that make trucks and the locations that refuel them is that a fresh set of insights are about to take off the limiter – providing the resources needed to accelerate adoption of electrified freight. Let’s look at what’s in store and how you can get involved.

With the sale of new, non-zero emission HGVs ending by 2040, stakeholders need answers. In the coming weeks we’ll be publishing four new reports and launching two open-access interactive resources that will unlock the underlying business models needed to bring electric HGVs (eHGVs) and charging infrastructure to real fleets, and sharing the insights needed to electrify the nation’s road freight.

What is eFREIGHT 2030?

This work is being driven through a project called eFREIGHT 2030, a partnership of fleet operators, vehicle manufacturers, software and charge point providers to prove what’s possible. Our goal is to share lessons widely so the entire freight and energy ecosystem can benefit, making the most of the funding from the Department for Transport and Innovate UK.

By making these insights accessible, we’ll help fleet operators, policymakers, infrastructure providers, and innovators understand the challenges and opportunities of transitioning HGVs to zero emissions. Working together we’ll help the sector move forward with confidence.

What are we delivering?

With our wider consortium working hard over the past two years to get infrastructure in the ground and vehicles into fleets in preparation for real-world trials, the Energy Systems Catapult has been working to capitalise on what’s been learned so far.

Throughout December and January, we’ll be publishing four flagship reports, each tackling a critical piece of the eHGV whole-system puzzle:

1. The Road Ahead: National system impacts of HGV decarbonisation
   This report explores how the UK’s HGV fleet could evolve. It will lift the lid on the potential infrastructure and energy demands that could lie ahead. The report will explore the results of our national HGV scenario modelling, highlighting the scale of change required, the key transition points, and will offer tailored recommendations for fleet operators, chargepoint providers, energy networks and government. We’ll also launch an interactive dashboard so you can explore scenarios and insights for yourself.
2. Connecting HGVs and Electricity: Enabling systems and sites for eHGV charger integration
   Electrifying HGVs isn’t just about vehicles. It’s about connecting depots and charging hubs to the electricity network. And this needs to be done efficiently and affordably if we’re to reach our desired destination. This report will unpack system-level challenges, offer case studies of real sites within the trial, and offers clear, actionable recommendations for those in the transport and energy sector.
3. Accelerating the Transition: A business modelling perspective for eHGV scale-up
   Based on direct feedback from fleet operators, this report will dive into the business model features that matter most for those buying eHGVs and investing in depot-based and public charging. It will provide a strategic call to action for industry and policymakers alike.
4. Navigating Net Zero Road Freight: Stakeholder insights for HGV decarbonisation
   Our fourth report will capture the views, uncertainties and recommendations from across the sector. It will explore where live trials are answering key research questions and where gaps remain for future work.

Tools for the transition

As well as these rich written insights, we’re introducing two powerful resources:

• National Impacts Modelling Dashboard: a companion to the first report that will enable you to explore our national future freight scenarios interactively.
• Pre-feasibility eHGV Financial Assessment Tool: an Excel-based tool to help fleet operators estimate costs, payback periods and carbon savings for different transition pathways.

Be the first to know

The future of freight is electric and it’s arriving faster than you think. Don’t miss out on the insights, tools and recommendations that will shape the sector’s next chapter.

Register your interest here today and we’ll notify you as soon as our eFREIGHT 2030 reports and dashboards go live.