Electric Trucks, HVO and New Funds: UK Freight Decarbonises Fast

Welcome to Net Zero News, your daily briefing on the UK’s transition to a low‑carbon future.

A wave of decarbonisation activity is rolling through UK logistics, with government funding, fleet electrification and consortium projects accelerating efforts to deliver low‑carbon freight.

The Scottish Government has launched a £2 million Heavy Goods Vehicle Market Readiness Fund for 2025‑26 to support operators, manufacturers, financiers and charge‑point providers in accelerating HGV decarbonisation, particularly aiding smaller businesses with a £1 million allocation. The initiative builds on earlier HGV decarbonisation mapping work and is designed to attract private investment while boosting road‑freight emissions reduction.

In industry moves, logistics company Wincanton has taken delivery of 24 new electric trucks supplied by DAF, Volvo and Renault, expected to cut its CO₂ emissions by 2,400 tonnes annually. Charging infrastructure is under way at key depots including sites in West London, Scotland, and Northamptonshire, developed with Voltempo and Gridserve, supporting scaling of electrified operation. Wincanton’s action is part of the national Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme under the Electric Freightway and eFREIGHT 2030 consortia.

Retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has introduced 85 zero and low‑emission vehicles to its logistics fleet as part of its Plan A roadmap to Net‑Zero by 2040. The fleet now includes five battery‑electric HGVs operating between distribution centres and stores across London and the South East. These vehicles are delivered through the eFREIGHT 2030 project and will replace diesel equivalents .

Registration data shows demand for new zero‑emission HGVs rose by 59.1 percent in the first half of 2025 versus the same period in 2024, reaching around 183 units and representing roughly 1 percent of HGV registrations. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders notes the UK’s aim of 100 percent zero‑emission HGV sales up to 26 tonnes by 2035 will demand rapid growth in uptake.

Royal Mail has rolled out eight DAF XD 350E electric HGVs at key parcel hubs in the Midlands and North West, replacing diesel 42‑tonne trucks. Using fast‑charge technology from ABB, each can add up to 60 miles of range in under 15 minutes. These vehicles will save an estimated 1,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually. Royal Mail operates one of the UK’s largest electric van fleets and charges them with 100 percent renewable electricity. This move is backed by Electric Freightway, which benefits from more than £100 million total investment, including £62.7 million of government funding under the ZEHID programme.

The Electric Freightway programme, led by GRIDSERVE and powered by Hitachi ZeroCarbon, deployed its third report in October 2025, revealing over half a million zero‑emission miles logged. The findings confirm that under certain conditions eHGVs can yield lower total cost of ownership than diesel equivalents. The project forms a key piece of the Department for Transport and Innovate UK’s Decarbonisation Demonstrator.

Meanwhile, the ZENFreight consortium also under the ZEHID umbrella has seen further momentum. In May 2025, John G Russell Transport joined the consortium with a mix of battery‑electric MAN vehicles and hydrogen‑electric Scania fuel cell trucks. In October, DFDS deployed the first Volvo FM electric eHGV on a closed‑loop delivery route from Sandhills depot in Liverpool. The depot features four 360 kWh charging bays, enabling multiple trips per charge marking a critical proof‑point for fleet electrification.

Lastly, the Sustainable Urban Freight Association (SUFA) has launched, uniting freight providers behind ultra‑low emission urban delivery. SUFA will advocate policy changes, support operators in adopting electric vehicles, cargo‑bikes and multimodal strategies, and facilitate knowledge‑sharing and decarbonisation progress in city logistics.

What this means:
The UK is now deploying a broad mix of decarbonisation strategies to tackle freight emissions. Government funds such as Scotland’s HGV Market Readiness Fund are unlocking investment and collaboration. Major logistics players like Wincanton, M&S and Royal Mail are putting electric trucks into service, supported by comprehensive infrastructure and demonstrator programmes. ZEHID‑linked initiatives like Electric Freight way and ZENFreight are proving both battery‑electric and hydrogen options in real‑world contexts. Meanwhile, industry groups like SUFA are forming to shape future policy and drive urban freight decarbonisation. Together, these developments signal that the transition to green logistics is no longer speculative it’s operational and rapidly scaling.

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