Last Autumn at ICNC23 in Berlin, I was stood with an investment associate from one of Europe's big Infrastructure funds as we both admired Alpitronic's Megawatt Charging System. We discussed the electrification of commercial fleets, particularly HGVs and both agreed 2024 was going to be a pivotal year for progress. 

Fast forward to today, whilst recent discourse has highlighted the disparity between electric car adoption and electrification within the HGV sector, it's crucial to acknowledge the progress being made to decarbonize fleets and create a more sustainable future for British trucking. 

If you look at electric cars, in a relatively short space of time, over one million electric vehicles now roam UK roads in a shift that has been greatly supported by the creation of a robust, increasingly reliable and user friendly charging network (over 63,000 charging units in 33,000 locations, according to Zapmap data). This progress is a testament to the collective efforts of manufacturers, charge point operators, policymakers, and consumers alike and such collaboration and continued investment lays the groundwork for a similar success story with HGVs.

And with the first half of the year behind us, decarbonization efforts are already underway. Take Charge Point Operator Gridserve for example, they're already pioneering a trial of 200 high-powered chargers which represents a significant step forward. You've then got the eFREIGHT 2030 project, a £63 million trial funded by the Department for Transport in partnership with Innovate UK, which brings together a consortium of fleet operators, vehicle manufacturers, charging infrastructure providers and our client, and fleet technology specialist Dynamon who are putting heads together to demonstrate the viability of HGV electrification.

So whilst there is a lot to be done and with the election looming, the Road Haulage Association (RHA) is at the forefront of the e-HGV movement, advocating for a targeted approach to address the specific needs of the industry and calling upon the new government to tackle investment in infrastructure for electric trucks. Undeniably, the complete transformation towards a zero-emission haulage sector will undoubtedly take time but with a clear roadmap for phasing out the sale of new diesel HGVs (by 2035 and 2040), proactive industry leadership like the RHA's, and continued collaboration, the future of British haulage is poised for electrification and that's a future we can all celebrate.

Since 2014, Hyperion Executive Search has supported clients in decarbonizing the transport sector and driving the mobility transition. We help companies fill strategically important roles across all key functions, with senior, executive, and board-level searches. With teams in the UK and Europe, we are extensively connected across the sector. If we can assist your business in this regard, please get in touch.