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Written question asked by Greg Smith (Conservative) on Wednesday, 10 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 15 June 2026. It was answered by Keir Mather (Labour) on Monday, 22 June 2026 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Large Goods Vehicles: Electric Vehicles

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of charging requirements for zero-emission heavy goods vehicles on (a) vehicle utilisation rates and (b) freight sector productivity.

Answer

The department recognises that charging requirements for zero emission Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) may have implications for vehicle utilisation and freight sector productivity and is monitoring these as part of its ongoing work. This includes evidence from the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator programme, which indicates that charging introduces additional operational considerations for fleet operators, including the need to plan around charging times and availability.

Charging generally takes longer than refuelling, meaning impacts may arise where it cannot be aligned with existing downtime. However, in many cases this can be mitigated by utilising existing dwell periods and through the deployment of well-planned depot and high‑power charging infrastructure. Early findings suggest that impacts vary by use case, with utilisation and productivity expected to improve as infrastructure expands and operational practices adapt.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
8651
Session
2026-27
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Subjects
Large goods vehicles Electric vehicles Charging points
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk