Comment by Lowri Williams, Transport Systems Practice Manager, at Energy Systems Catapult

In June 2019, the UK committed to achieving Net Zero by 2050. Transport, as the country’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, stands at the centre of this commitment. Decarbonising the sector is no small feat, but the Innovating to Net Zero 2024 report makes clear that it is achievable with the right focus, investment, and innovation. The challenge is not just technological, it’s about rethinking infrastructure, consumer behaviour, supply chains and operations to create a transport system that is sustainable, desirable, and resilient.

Progress on electrification

The shift to cleaner transport is underway across the sector. Leading the way is the electrification of passenger vehicles, with nearly a million electric vehicles (EVs) on the roads. Charging infrastructure has expanded rapidly, with over 72,000 public charging points available by late 2024, a 37% increase year-on-year. This is supplemented by 850,000 home and workplace chargers, a crucial step towards making EVs an attractive and desirable option for the wider public.

Despite this progress, scaling infrastructure further and faster remains crucial. The transition is not playing out equally across all parts of the UK. For example, rural areas still face vast gaps in coverage, with only 15% of charge points in England in rural areas according to a recent National Audit Office report. This does not yet meet the needs of rural populations as, when looking at data from the National Travel survey, households with one or more vehicles in rural areas make up 24% of vehicle owning households. To support the scale up of charging infrastructure in these locations and across the rest of the UK, we need to factor in upgrades to the electricity grid to handle rising demand. These challenges are compounded by the need to balance the system during ‘peak’ usage, especially in winter. Innovations that can support and accelerate the wide scale uptake of smart charging, managing charging demand to avoid peak hours, and energy storage solutions will play a key role in managing this transition.

Electrification must extend beyond passenger vehicles. Projects like eFREIGHT 2030, which focus on the electrification of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), are addressing one of the most challenging areas of transport decarbonisation. Long associated with high emissions due to their weight and range requirements, HGVs are now on the path to electrification, driven by advancements in battery technologies, charging solutions and government support for large scale trials. These efforts are critical to transforming the freight sector, building the evidence base for electrified HGVs within fleet operations and to shed light on the enabling factors which can address the legislative and infrastructure challenges.

Hydrogen and sustainable fuels

While electrification is a vital component of the Net Zero journey, it is not a universal solution. Sectors like shipping and aviation require alternative approaches, where electrified solutions are unlikely to meet needs. Hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) are emerging as particularly important.

In maritime transport, hydrogen-based fuels such as ammonia offer a promising alternative to traditional marine fuels, which are highly polluting. Similarly, hydrogen-powered engines and SAFs are paving the way for decarbonising aviation, particularly for long-haul flights where electrification is not necessarily viable. The use of these technologies, however, is still in its infancy. Scaling low carbon hydrogen production, through renewable-powered electrolysis and biomass with carbon capture, and developing robust supply chains for SAFs will be essential to reduce costs and increase availability. The aviation and maritime sectors also need to be able to test and trial technologies at a larger scale than is possible to date, to develop the evidence base for strategic planning and decision-making, following the example that has and is being set in the road transport and logistics sectors.

The Innovating to Net Zero 2024 report underscores the urgency of this work. Without rapid decarbonisation of shipping and aviation, an additional £22 billion of investment in other sectors would be required to meet Net Zero. Hydrogen and SAFs are not optional in these hard to decarbonise transport sectors; they are critical.

Addressing barriers

The transition to Net Zero transport is not without its challenges. The Innovating to Net Zero 2024 report identifies several key barriers that must be overcome to accelerate progress.

Infrastructure remains a pressing issue. While EV charging networks for light duty vehicles are growing, infrastructure for larger vehicles, hydrogen refuelling stations and SAF production facilities are underdeveloped. Without significant investment in these areas, businesses are left with too much uncertainty to accelerate their transition to Net Zero transport, risking that the deployment of critical technologies could stall. At the same time, the electricity grid must be prepared to support electrification on an unprecedented scale, requiring upgrades and enhancements to ensure reliability during peak demand. This is a whole systems issue and will require cross-sector planning and collaboration to ensure a future system that works for all.

Consumer behaviour is another hurdle. While EV uptake is increasing, concerns about upfront costs, range anxiety, and charging availability persist. Public transport, too, must become a more viable and attractive option, with improvements in reliability and affordability. Policies that incentivise cleaner choices will be essential in encouraging adoption.

The need for skilled workers and resilient supply chains is equally urgent. Decarbonising transport at scale will require a workforce capable of deploying and maintaining new technologies. Without addressing these gaps, deployment rates will fall short of what is needed.

Opportunities out of obstacles

Despite the challenges, the Innovating to Net Zero 2024 report highlights that Net Zero by 2050 is still within reach. Achieving Net Zero could cost less than 1% of GDP annually, a manageable investment when weighed against the benefits of cleaner air, healthier communities, and economic growth.

The rewards are immense. Transforming transport will position the UK as a leader in clean technologies, from EVs to SAFs and hydrogen-powered solutions. The benefits of this go beyond purely limiting climate change. The elimination of tailpipe emissions from transport sectors in the UK has potential to improve health outcomes across the population, with the potential to reduce the strain on our health service.

The road to Net Zero is long, but the progress made so far shows what’s possible. Projects like eFREIGHT 2030 and the Hydrogen Innovation Initiative demonstrate how innovation can turn obstacles into opportunities. Meeting the 2050 goal requires action now, and with sustained focus, collaboration, and investment, the UK can deliver a clean transport system fit for the future.

Read more blogs in our Innovating to Net Zero Insights Series below.