UK's £2.4bn Growth Opportunity in Greener Heavy Duty Vehicles
Key Ideas
  • The UK sees a potential £2.4bn growth opportunity in producing zero-emission heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and buses, with a focus on battery-powered and fuel cell electric vehicles using hydrogen.
  • Government pledges to end sales of new non-zero-emission HGVs by 2035 and aims for all new HGVs to be zero-emission by 2040 to meet climate targets.
  • Collaboration between the UK government and industry is crucial to capitalize on the opportunity, including developing charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure for heavy goods vehicles.
  • Truck manufacturer Scania plans to roll out electric HGVs with thousands of compatible charge points across Europe by 2030, signaling a shift towards cleaner transport technologies.
The Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) suggests that the UK could benefit from a £2.4 billion growth opportunity in producing greener heavy duty vehicles (HDVs). These vehicles, including heavy goods vehicles (HGV) and buses, are a significant source of emissions in the UK transport sector. To align with climate targets, the UK government has set goals to eliminate sales of new non-zero-emission HGVs by 2035 and ensure all new HGVs are zero-emission by 2040. The APC's report forecasts the production of around 35,000 HGVs and buses before 2035, with a majority being zero-emission. Notably, a quarter of these vehicles are expected to be fuel cell electric vehicles that utilize hydrogen for generating electricity. The report emphasizes the importance of collaboration between the government and industry to seize the market opportunity. Key areas highlighted include the production of battery packs, electric drive units, fuel cell systems, hydrogen tanks, and high-power converters for zero-emission HDVs. Enhancing the energy infrastructure and accelerating the development of charging and hydrogen refueling networks are crucial steps to facilitate the transition to cleaner transport technologies. Scania, a leading truck manufacturer, has initiated the launch of an electric vehicle charging company to support the rollout of electric HGVs. Their plan includes installing over 40,000 charge points across several European countries by 2030, with a vision to shift entirely to battery-powered trucks by 2040. Additionally, the UK has made strides in adopting low carbon buses, with nearly half of new buses purchased in 2023 being zero-emission. These developments underscore the increasing momentum towards sustainable transport solutions in the UK and Europe.
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