Energy Systems Catapult Accelerates Electric HGV Shift

A new suite of tools from Energy Systems Catapult aims to help UK fleet operators accelerate the transition to electric heavy goods vehicles with greater confidence and clarity, a critical step in decarbonising UK supply chains.

The toolkit draws on insights from the eFREIGHT 2030 consortium, a collaboration between road freight and low carbon energy leaders, reflecting the growing convergence of transport, energy and supply chain operations.

Backed by the UK government’s Department for Transport, the programme has deployed 88 electric HGVs and charging infrastructure across 33 locations, offering one of the most comprehensive real world datasets available to the freight and logistics sector.

Lowri Williams, eFREIGHT 2030 Project Lead for Energy Systems Catapult, says: “These reports and open access tools will help fleet operators, energy network system planners, infrastructure providers, innovators and policymakers grasp the challenges and opportunities of transitioning HGVs to zero emissions.

“We’re publishing resources that will help all of these stakeholders across sectors to unlock the underlying business models needed to accelerate their adoption of eHGVs.”

The release comes shortly after the government announced a £1bn (US$1.32bn) fund to support investment in electric trucks and depot charging infrastructure, adding urgency to industry efforts to decarbonise freight operations across supply chains.

Can electric HGVs operate at scale?

At the core of the initiative is a recognition that electrifying HGV fleets requires coordinated planning between transport operators and the energy sector, particularly as companies look to futureproof their supply chain networks.

The toolkit includes an interactive modelling dashboard, financial planning resources and case studies designed to help businesses assess costs, infrastructure requirements and operational impacts across their supply chain and logistics operations.

The consortium, led by charging developer Voltempo, has spent two years demonstrating that electric HGVs can operate at scale.

Vehicles from manufacturers including Renault Trucks, DAF and Scania have been trialled alongside megawatt charging systems designed for high utilisation freight environments.

The findings highlight the scale of transformation required. HGVs accounted for 16% of the UK’s domestic transport greenhouse gas emissions in 2023, underlining the importance of rapid decarbonisation across freight and supply chain operations.

Scale of UK logistics challenge

Government targets mandate that all new HGVs under 26 tonnes must be zero emission by 2035, with all new HGVs to follow by 2040.

To meet longer term carbon goals, modelling suggests up to 132,500 electric articulated HGVs over 40 tonnes could be required on UK roads by 2050, highlighting the scale of change required across UK logistics and supply chain infrastructure.

Achieving this will depend not only on vehicle adoption but also on significant investment in depot charging, grid capacity, onsite renewable generation and energy storage.

The toolkit aims to address these challenges directly. Among its resources is a pre feasibility financial assessment tool that allows operators to model payback periods and carbon savings across different electrification strategies.

Insights from early adopters also shed light on viable business models, while case studies from trial sites provide practical guidance on integrating charging infrastructure into real world logistics and supply chain environments.

Lowri adds: “Before these projects started two years ago there were almost no eHGVs over 40 tonnes on UK roads and scant knowledge about how fleet operators and the energy sector would need to work together to reach a Net Zero future.

“We’re at the start of that journey and the tools and insights we’re launching today give the stakeholders who need to work together a common language to plan their route ahead.”