UK Freight Goes Green: eHGVs, Hydrogen Trials and Infrastructure Surge

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

In a decisive move toward decarbonising the freight sector, the UK has witnessed a wave of initiatives and deployments aimed at cutting carbon emissions from logistics. These span the rollout of electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs), hydrogen and biofuel trials, public infrastructure development, and government-backed financial support.

Royal Mail recently deployed its first eight electric HGVs the DAF 42‑tonne XD 350E model at parcel hubs in the Midlands and North West. These vehicles operate with ABB T360 chargers that can add up to 60 miles of range in under 15 minutes. The rollout is part of the Electric Freightway initiative, funded by both the UK Government and GRIDSERVE, which includes a £62.7 million public investment and anticipates saving around one thousand tonnes of CO₂ annually.

Similarly, leading logistics firm Wincanton introduced 24 new electric trucks supplied by DAF, Volvo and Renault, marking an annual CO₂ reduction of approximately 2,400 tonnes. To support the fleet, depot charging infrastructure is being installed at sites including Greenford, Portbury, Scotland Gateway Hub near Glasgow, and Northamptonshire.

GRIDSERVE’s Electric Freightway project has also progressed, with the opening in January 2026 of the UK’s first public eHGV charging hubs at Extra Baldock and Moto Exeter. These hubs are part of a seven‑site rollout planned for 2026 and form part of the government-funded ZEHID programme. Notably, fleets participating in Electric Freightway have now surpassed half a million zero‑emission miles, and projections suggest that total cost of ownership parity with diesel counterparts could be achieved within five years.

On the hydrogen front, ZENFreight under the ZEHID framework has added John G Russell (Transport) Ltd to its consortium to trial both hydrogen fuel cell and battery electric HGVs. The arrangement includes three MAN battery electric HGVs and three hydrogen-electric Scania HFCEVs, with hydrogen refuelling infrastructure being installed at Russell’s Coatbridge depot. Furthering this, ZENFreight has achieved its first operational deployment with DFDS at its Sandhills site, marking an early real‑world example of hydrogen and electric freight operations.

Cross‑Channel freight has also seen a breakthrough: the first eHGV traveled through the Channel Tunnel via a partnership between Kuehne+Nagel, LeShuttle Freight, Voltempo, and DAF Trucks. This demonstration supports the feasibility of zero‑emission freight corridors between the UK and mainland Europe.

Meanwhile, M&S has added 85 zero‑ or lower‑emission vehicles to its fleet including five electric Renault 42‑tonne HGVs operating in southern England via the eFREIGHT 2030 project and 30 biomethane CNG vehicles for its clothing and home logistics operations. This accounts for nearly 10 per cent of its fleet transitioning to low‑carbon alternatives. The retailer has also seen successful real‑world operation with five electric Renault Trucks E‑Tech HGVs over six months, supporting deliveries from its Welham Green centre to London and the South East.

Sainsbury’s is piloting a circular biofuel model: from March 2025, half of the HGV fleet at its Emerald Park distribution centre will run on fuel produced from its own food waste via anaerobic digestion. This initiative is expected to cut over 3,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually.

On the infrastructure and policy support side, the Scottish Government introduced a £2 million HGV Market Readiness Fund for 2025–26 to aid decarbonisation investments across the industry. Meanwhile, the national Plug‑in Truck Grant received a significant boost: in January 2026, an additional £18 million was allocated, allowing discounts up to £120,000 for new electric truck purchases. Additionally, a consultation on the regulatory roadmap to phase out non‑zero emission HGVs by 2040 was launched. The broader Plug‑in Van and Truck Grants have also been extended until at least April 2027 for continued industry support.

Lastly, infrastructure development continues apace: Fleete has begun constructing a 5 MW shared rapid‑charging hub at the Port of Tilbury, featuring 16 rapid chargers, to be operational by December 2025. This is expected to support low‑carbon freight across the Thames estuary and beyond.

What this means:

The UK is witnessing a watershed moment in freight decarbonisation. Across the board from public policy and funding to fleet innovation and cross‑sector collaboration progress is converging toward a sustainable future. The combination of electric and hydrogen HGV deployments, expanded charging infrastructure, funding incentives, and innovative biofuel models highlight a holistic push for zero‑emission logistics.

The growth of practical eHGV infrastructure, as seen with Electric Freightway and the Port of Tilbury hub, reduces infrastructure barriers, while initiatives like the Plug‑in Truck Grant and Scottish HGV fund provide critical financial assistance. Collaborative efforts such as ZENFreight, eFREIGHT 2030, and the Channel Tunnel eHGV demonstration illustrate the importance of cross‑industry coordination.

If sustained, these developments collectively signal that eHGVs could soon become commercially viable alternatives to diesel counterparts, enabling freight operators to plan decarbonisation pathways with increasing certainty.

Upcoming Events:
Net Zero Scotland Projects Conference -16 June 2026, Edinburgh

Net Zero Nations Projects Conference – 6 October 2026, Westminster

Do you have technologies, innovations or solutions that can help public-sector net-zero projects?
Email: lee@net-zero.scot