Much has been written about the UK haulage sector’s transition to electronic vehicles in recent months. However, Logistics UK has expressed concern about the level of government help being provided. Claiming that its net zero plans will fail unless more fiscal support is provided, the government is being urged to step in and assist.

Another issue raised was the inadequate public charging network that is stopping hauliers from investing in technology, with the business group’s members expressing major frustration at the number of broken or even inoperable charges, as well as a major difficulty in finding available spaces to get the power they need. 

“An Uphill Battle That Can’t Continue”

David Wells, Logistics UK Chief Executive, points towards a lack of meaningful scrappage schemes, volatile energy prices and rising acquisition costs as the main barrier at present, meaning that the transition to EVs represents an uphill battle that can’t continue. As such, the body is calling for an EV charging & refuelling infrastructure roadmap to be prioritised. 

Speaking on the subject, Mr Wells had this to say:

“The lifecycle of a vehicle is carefully worked into any logistics business’ budget to ensure continuity while keeping costs down. Our members should not be expected simply to write off the cost of any vehicles they operate – which could run to thousands of pounds for every operator.

A supportive scrappage scheme should be in place to ensure that logistics businesses can stay on the roads without incurring further punitive costs.”

LCCI Urges Deputy Mayor to Address EV Charging Point Need

The statement by Logistics UK came at the same time as the London Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) urged the Deputy Mayor to tackle the need for commercial EV charging points across the City. With an increase in demand to transition from fossil fuels, it’s claimed that far more EV charging points than are currently envisaged are needed. 

The LCCI also expressed worry that there seems to be an expectation that new commercial EVs would be primarily charged at company depots, with CEO Richard Burge stating:

“The government and city hall must work together to address the logistical issues which hinder an optimistic, profitable, and growing EV industry. Rising energy costs present challenges to commercial vehicles, and a lack of EV charging points should not hinder the green growth momentum.”

A Long Way to Go On the Journey to EV Lorries

Transitioning from legacy fossil fuel powered lorries to EV trucks was always going to be a major undertaking, and this latest update clearly highlights the complexities involved. As such, there’s still a long way to go on the road to realising wholesale use of EV lorries across the UK’s supply chain. There still remains much to think about in terms of infrastructure. 

Whatever happens, however, the HGVC team will continue to offer industry-leading, scalable HGV licence acquisition programs via our large UK network of training centres. If you’d like to know more about how we can help you mitigate the challenges brought by the ongoing driver shortage, take a look around our website.

Alternatively, if you’d like to speak to a member of our expert team, click on ‘Contact Us’ or give us a call on 0330 818 8888, and we’ll be happy to help.