The numbers don't add up, or do they?

 The Road Haulage Association has warned that current weight regulations are making electric HGVs more expensive to run and less productive than their diesel equivalents, after publishing new research on payload loss. 

In its latest report, the RHA said operators can lose up to 11.8% of payload capacity when running certain electric artics, forcing some fleets to use more vehicles or make additional trips to move the same volume of freight. The trade body argues that this is weakening the already fragile commercial case for zero-emission HGVs. 

The findings are set out in the RHA’s Payload Loss Survey Report, which is based on feedback from operators and dealers, alongside the association’s own desk-based cost analysis. According to the report, an electric 6x2 tractor unit can cost £28,282 more per year to run than a diesel equivalent under current rules, with the cost increase largely driven by payload penalties and operating constraints. 

The report also suggests that current rules are creating knock-on effects beyond fleet costs. The RHA said that where payload is reduced, operators may need to run more trucks or more journeys, which would add pressure to road networks and erode some of the efficiency gains expected from electrification. 

Read about it in Commercial Motor.

And the other side of the story is. . . . . . 

Maritime Transport has begun the nationwide rollout of its electric HGV fleet, with the first 19 vehicles now in operation at sites in Wakefield and Birmingham.

The programme will see a total of 56 eHGVs introduced across 13 depots and rail-connected terminals during 2026, with vehicles expected to achieve real-world ranges of between 300km and 500km depending on duty cycle.

The rollout is supported by a major investment in charging infrastructure, with Maritime developing what it describes as one of the UK’s largest independent eHGV charging networks. Once complete, it will provide more than 22MW of installed capacity, enough to charge over 100 trucks simultaneously. The network, powered by renewable electricity, will also be accessible to third-party operators.

Across the Electric Freightway programme, Maritime will operate 20 eHGVs from Birmingham and its Manchester depot, supported by 10 charging stations. The project is backed by more than £100m of government and industry funding.

Commercial Motor story here. 

You can make your mind up what you believe. I can't see this net zero madness working. 

Have a nice day. Toodle pip.   ilona