UK Freight Goes Green: eHGVs, Hydrogen and Renewable Fuels Accelerate Decarbonisation

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

In a significant step forward for green logistics and freight, the UK is witnessing rapid deployment of zero-emission heavy vehicles, expansion of low-carbon fuel infrastructure, and strategic innovation initiatives. Driving forces include government-backed programmes and industry-led consortia delivering breakthroughs from electric HGV rollouts to hydrogen trials and renewable fuel adoption.

Leading the charge, Royal Mail has introduced eight new DAF 42‑tonne electric HGVs at Midlands and North West hubs. These vehicles operate around the clock, charged via ABB’s T360 fast chargers able to deliver up to 60 miles of range in under 15 minutes. The move, supported by Electric Freightway and the ZEHID programme, is forecast to save around one thousand tonnes of CO2 annually while lowering operational costs. Electric Freightway’s infrastructure, backed by over £100 million of investment including £62.7 million of government funding, aims to deploy more than 200 350 kW chargers nationwide.

At Wincanton, 24 new electric trucks supplied by DAF, Volvo, and Renault have joined its logistics fleet. These >40-tonne vehicles are expected to cut CO2 emissions by approximately 2,400 tonnes per year. Wincanton is simultaneously installing depot-based charging facilities at several key sites, developed with Voltempo and Gridserve, reflecting its long-term commitment to decarbonise operations as part of the ZEHID consortium.

Meanwhile, the ZENFreight initiative is trialling both battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell HGVs. John G Russell Transport has joined the consortium, deploying three MAN battery-electric HGVs alongside three hydrogen-electric Scania HFCEVs, and installing hydrogen storage and filling infrastructure at its Coatbridge depot. Further progress arrived in October 2025 when ZENFreight deployed its first electric HGV in partnership with DFDS a Volvo FM Electric alongside a high-capacity charging site at Liverpool’s Sandhills Business Park featuring 360 kWh chargers.

Renewable fuels are also gaining momentum. A Zemo Partnership study shows that introducing 30% high blend renewable fuels (including biodiesel, HVO and biomethane) in trucks by 2030 could prevent an additional 46 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, particularly from heavy-duty vehicles. The study highlights policy levers like fuel duty reform and stronger RTFO targets as catalysts for accelerating uptake.

Infrastructure expansion continues apace. The government has identified 54 sites across the UK for zero-emission HGV charging and refuelling hubs, under Innovate UK’s ZEHID programme. These strategic locations will support megawatt-scale electric charging and hydrogen solutions for heavy freight as part of national decarbonisation efforts.

Moreover, the Electric Freightway project backed by Innovate UK and operational participants including Amazon, Royal Mail, GXO and Wincanton has surpassed half a million zero-emission miles as fleets benefit from cost parity with diesel vehicles over time.

Finally, platform innovation is advancing data-driven decarbonisation. Alphabet has launched Carbon Manager in the UK a web-based tool enabling fleet operators to report and forecast emissions accurately, transforming raw data into actionable strategies that support net-zero planning.

What this means:
The UK’s freight sector is rapidly transforming through electrification, hydrogen trials, fuel switching and strategic infrastructure deployment. These developments signal a clear trajectory toward decarbonised logistics, with government backing and industry collaboration laying the foundation for cost-effective, scalable, and cleaner freight networks.

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