Industry Faces Penalties Amid Low UK Uptake
Trucks Are Ready—But Where Are the Buyers?
European truck manufacturers are now rolling out a growing portfolio of electric trucks, driven by looming emissions legislation and the threat of financial penalties. But in the UK, uptake remains sluggish. Despite increasing availability, fewer electric trucks were sold in 2024 than in 2023—a troubling trend given the industry’s decarbonisation targets.
The situation might have been even more dire were it not for the government-backed Zero Emission HGV & Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme, which is injecting £200 million to deploy up to 350 electric HGVs on UK roads.
Emission Targets Driving Urgency
15% CO₂ Reduction by 2025
Under EU law, manufacturers must demonstrate a 15% reduction in CO₂ emissions for heavy-duty trucks over 16 tonnes GVW by the end of 2025, relative to a 2019/20 baseline. These reductions are measured via the VECTO (Vehicle Energy Consumption Calculation Tool), which remains controversial among industry professionals.
To date, most of the progress towards these early targets stems from incremental improvements to diesel engines, not from electric or alternatively fuelled trucks.
30% CO₂ Reduction Looms by 2030
Looking ahead, a 30% CO₂ reduction target by 2030 makes electrification essential. Without a significant increase in sales of battery electric or biogas trucks, manufacturers will struggle to comply by relying solely on diesel technology advances.
The UK Sets Its Own Course
Post-Brexit, the UK is no longer bound by EU targets but has set its own goals. If not harmonised with the EU’s updates, UK-specific policy could require:
- A 30% CO₂ reduction by 2030
- A ban on new non-zero-emission trucks under 26 tonnes by 2035
- A full ban on new non-zero-emission trucks by 2040
These policies raise the stakes for both manufacturers and operators.
Total Cost of Ownership Still a Barrier
Despite environmental progress, most operators will only transition if there’s a clear commercial benefit. The Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for electric trucks must offer a compelling advantage over diesel. At present, that’s not the case.
A new electric tractor unit carries a headline price of around £250,000, and that’s before factoring in the infrastructure investment required to charge fleets at scale. With most distribution centres ill-equipped to recharge dozens or hundreds of HGVs overnight, grid capacity constraints and costly delays for upgrades present real barriers to entry.
Manufacturers Face Fines Despite Willingness to Supply
The irony is stark: manufacturers may soon face penalties for not selling enough electric trucks—even though many have poured billions into research and development to bring them to market. The real issue lies in insufficient demand, not supply.
For electric trucks to take hold in volume, government must step in—not just with funding incentives, but with infrastructure investment, planning policy reform, and long-term commitment to grid resilience. Without that support, the decarbonisation timeline will slip, and the industry will suffer the consequences.