As pressure mounts to decarbonise HGVs, the spotlight often falls on the trucks themselves ‒ their drivetrains, fuel types, and tailpipe emissions. But the real bottleneck isn’t under the bonnet, writes Mike Jelfs.
Technology is only half the story. Without the right charging networks, grid capacity, energy planning, and smart operational strategies, even the most efficient zero-emission truck will struggle to deliver. And while battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) are increasingly seen as the most efficient path forward, they still rely on infrastructure choices we’ve barely begun to make.
Hydrogen vs battery electric
Hydrogen combustion and fuel-cell trucks often appear attractive, particularly to fleets familiar with diesel. They promise fast refuelling and retain engine-like performance characteristics. But these surface advantages are deceptive because they mask the upstream energy losses and the greater infrastructure complexity required.
Hydrogen production, compression or liquefaction, transportation, storage, and final conversion into motion each come with efficiency losses. From renewable electricity to tank to wheel, fuel-cell trucks often deliver less than 25% energy efficiency. In contrast, BEVs can convert over 85% of grid electricity into forward motion. That’s a decisive three-to-one efficiency advantage and one that translates directly into lower running costs, reduced energy infrastructure needs, and a more straightforward path to scale.
Concerns are often raised about the added weight of batteries in long-haul trucks, but this, too, is changing rapidly. A recent study in NPJ Sustainable Mobility and Transport (Hoekstra & Alkemade, 2025) models future cost and mass trajectories for battery-electric HGVs. It found that as battery density improves and manufacturers begin integrating batteries into the truck’s structure, BEV HGVs can match or even undercut the weight of diesel counterparts ‒ with superior operating efficiency and lower energy costs over the vehicle lifecycle.
A clear direction
As of mid-2025, there’s still no UK Government mandate to phase out fossil fuel HGVs, unlike the deadlines already in place for cars and vans. That means change isn’t being driven by regulation but by forward-looking operators, local authorities, and innovative logistics providers, which presents both risks and opportunities. Without a mandate, investment may be delayed, and fragmentation could increase. But it also gives early movers the space to shape solutions around real-world constraints ‒ to build a system that works without being forced into it.
Depot charging
Some of the most successful real-world examples of electric HGV adoption share a common foundation: depot-based charging strategies. A standout case involves a local authority fleet that electrified its RCVs by pairing high-capacity chargers with a private-wire connection to a nearby energy-from-waste facility. The setup included a dedicated substation and was managed using smart charging software to avoid peak loads. The result: significantly lower energy costs, 89% reduction in emissions per vehicle, and far quieter urban operations.
This is the kind of strategy that can be replicated across the freight sector, especially for fleets returning to base overnight or operating on predictable schedules.
V2G, V2L, and battery buffering
Electric trucks are not just cleaner vehicles; they are energy assets.
Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) enables fleets to discharge stored battery power back into the grid during peak demand, turning parked trucks into a distributed energy resource. While still in early commercial stages for heavy vehicles, the potential is significant, especially for depots looking to offset energy costs or contribute to grid balancing.
Vehicle-to-Load (V2L), already available in some vans and light trucks, allows power to be exported for external use, from tools and mobile kitchens to emergency response setups. This can displace diesel generators entirely in many use cases.
Meanwhile, containerised battery storage offers a way to decouple charging from grid constraints. By charging storage units slowly during off-peak hours, fleets can access rapid charging capacity without triggering peak demand charges or requiring costly grid reinforcement.
Together, these capabilities don’t just help adapt to the grid; they help strengthen it.
Corridors and emerging tech
While depot charging solves many urban and regional needs, long-haul freight remains a tougher nut to crack. Two promising innovations could help bridge the gap. The first is overhead catenary systems, which allow specially equipped trucks to draw power from overhead lines on key trunk roads. While requiring significant upfront investment and suitable only for high-volume corridors, the concept shows promise for fixed-route freight between ports and distribution hubs.
The other is inductive charging, where power is wirelessly transferred from the road to the vehicle, enabling top-ups at ports, logistics hubs, or queueing zones. It may not replace depot charging, but it could reduce range anxiety and extend operational flexibility in specific high-dwell locations.
Neither solution is mainstream yet, but both show how smart corridor planning and targeted innovation can complement battery-electric freight, rather than replace it.
The hydrogen illusion
Hydrogen trucks remain limited in deployment, and even more so in terms of infrastructure. Fuel-cell vehicles may produce zero tailpipe emissions, but around 98-99% of global hydrogen is still fossil-derived and, in over 98% of cases, produced without capturing any of the associated CO₂. Even green hydrogen produced via electrolysis requires around three times as much electricity per kilometre as a battery-electric vehicle.
Infrastructure-wise, the hurdles are steeper. Hydrogen fuelling stations are expensive and tightly regulated. Transporting and storing hydrogen is complex and energy-intensive. Unlike electricity, hydrogen cannot be distributed through existing infrastructure.
There are also regulatory constraints. Hydrogen-powered trucks are assigned ADR tunnel restriction code B/D, which blocks access to many major tunnels. For example, both the Dartford Crossing tunnels (A282 under the Thames) and the Brynglas Tunnels on the M4 fall into restricted categories, requiring diversion, marshalling, or even escort for transit. These practical limitations further undermine hydrogen’s operational flexibility, whereas battery-electric trucks face no such hurdles.
System thinking
What links the scalable, practical zero-emission freight solutions isn’t flashy tech. It’s system design. Depot charging works because it integrates with fleet behaviour and available infrastructure. Smart charging, V2G, and storage work because they align with how energy is generated, priced, and consumed. Corridor electrification supports long-haul freight without duplicating entire fuelling networks. The key is system thinking: designing around real-world constraints, not just engineering ideals.
For operators and planners, that means engaging early with distribution network operators to understand capacity and plan upgrades, mapping energy zoning and load profiles to match depot locations with grid realities, and investing in pilot programmes that prioritise replicability and data collection.
This isn’t about idealism. It’s about risk reduction, operational control, and long-term cost stability.
The policy gap
The absence of a phase-out mandate for diesel HGVs creates uncertainty. But it also means the industry has room to innovate ‒ if supported properly. The government can accelerate the transition by providing targeted funding for grid upgrades at logistics hubs, streamlining planning processes for depot electrification and substation installations, and mandating collaboration frameworks among DNOs, local authorities, and major fleet operators. Support is also required for training and workforce development for depot energy management and high-voltage systems.
Fleet operators don’t need perfect solutions; they need reliable ones. They need infrastructure that works, systems that scale, and technology that saves money over time. That work won’t be easy, but the payoff – cleaner air, resilient logistics, and locked-in cost savings – demands we commit to action without illusion.
