Large Goods Vehicles: Electric Vehicles

The department recognises that charging requirements for zero emission Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) may have implications for vehicle utilisation and freight sector productivity and is monitoring these as part of its ongoing work. This includes evidence from the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator programme, which indicates that charging introduces additional operational considerations for fleet operators, including the need to plan around charging times and availability.

Charging generally takes longer than refuelling, meaning impacts may arise where it cannot be aligned with existing downtime. However, in many cases this can be mitigated by utilising existing dwell periods and through the deployment of well-planned depot and high‑power charging infrastructure. Early findings suggest that impacts vary by use case, with utilisation and productivity expected to improve as infrastructure expands and operational practices adapt.