New government funding has been announced to encourage road freight operators to switch to zero-emissions trucks.
Compared to cars and vans, bringing zero-emissions to heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) is seen as a greater challenge. Yet a government consultation could see the sale of new fossil-fuelled lorries banned by 2040.
The £20 million funding will be used on a number of projects across the UK, aimed at evaluating zero-emissions trucks.
Connected to the grid
One of the standout projects to be funded is an elaborate ‘Electric Road System’ near Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire. This will see battery-electric HGVs powered by overhead cables, connected via tram-style pantographs.
This allows the lorries to receive electric power, but without the weight and packaging problems of substantial lithium-ion batteries. Plans to convert more than 12 miles of the M180 will be investigated, with electric HGVs potentially on the road by 2024.
Similar eHighway systems have already been developed by Siemens and Scania. Successful testing has been undertaken in Germany and the United States.
Hydrogen haulers
Leyland Trucks will receive funding to develop a fleet of 20 battery-electric HGVs. These will be offered to public sector organisations, allowing for data to be collected on their effectiveness.
Such real-world information will hopefully inform whether electric HGVs can be successfully integrated into UK fleet operations.
As an alternative to battery-electric power, a feasibility study for hydrogen fuel cell HGVs will be undertaken in Scotland. Arcola Energy may then move to live tests of hydrogen-powered trucks, along with developing the supporting infrastructure.
Hyundai has completed more than one million kilometres (620,000 miles) of on-road testing with its Xcient hydrogen fuel cell trucks. The company has recently deployed its zero-emissions HGVs to California, as part of a 12-month pilot.
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