Bridging the gap between green ambition and fleet reality

The transition to electric HGVs is one of the biggest shifts facing the logistics industry today, with the ambition to decarbonise freight facing complex operational realities.

Here are the dilemmas. How do we overcome range limitations and create a long-term solution when our logistics network is not yet built for these new demands?

Despite HGVs moving 89% of all freight and 98% of agricultural and food products in the UK, questions remain around the infrastructure needed to support wider adoption.

This creates a dangerous catch-22: operators cannot confidently invest in electric HGVs or depot charging without a reliable network to depend on. Yet the development of that very network risks being slowed by uncertainty across the industry.

For operators, the practical question is how can we realistically make this work without compromising on service or commercial performance?

Tackling the ‘utilisation gap’

At Pall-Ex Logistics, we currently operate two electric, 18-tonne vehicles in Essex and Bournemouth; locations selected because they offer high drop density, allowing multiple deliveries and collections within relatively compact areas.

It’s a trial that has highlighted operational challenges around charging and route planning. Something we call the ‘utilisation gap’. Closing that gap is essential if we are to meet our sustainability targets whilst maintaining our fleet performance.

In logistics, profitability depends on maximizing operating hours, but electric HGVs require longer charging periods, reducing time on the road.

We’ve also had to allocate our electric vehicles to specific routes that sit comfortably within their operating range, because—at present—we can’t rely on widespread charging infrastructure.

Our current electric HGVs achieve around 160 to 180 miles on a full charge, while many diesel HGVs cover as much as 250 miles a day. While that range might work well for certain regional operations, limited charging infrastructure and the impact of cold weather on battery performance remain barriers to wider adoption. 

Thanks to the AI-driven technology we have onboard and across the business, we’ve been able to give our drivers greater control. The tools provide the real-time visibility needed to manage those tighter charging windows and range constraints, allowing us to easily adjust schedules and select the highest-density routes, making sure they take the most efficient journey possible.

While there are significant environmental and long-term maintenance advantages to the transition, both conditions that we’re undoubtedly committed to, we can’t simply flip the switch and see immediate rewards.

Network and depot infrastructure

Even as technology improves, infrastructure remains the biggest hurdle for us rolling this out across all of our depots. Electric HGVs are proving effective regionally, but national adoption requires significant investment in suitable charging infrastructure.

Upgrading grid connections, securing sufficient power and creating a reliable nationwide network will require long-term planning, industry investment and clear policy direction.

While progress is being made at a national level, smaller operators can act now by investing in their own facilities, as we’ve done at our Essex and Bournemouth sites. Preparing depots for electric fleets requires detailed assessments and sufficient grid capacity to meet future demand. It’s a necessary step to make the transition a reality.

Looking to the future

The transition to electric HGVs is no longer a question of if, but how quickly the wider ecosystem can evolve to support it.

Technology continues to change at a rapid pace, and the shared charging models that we’re seeing emerging across Europe demonstrate the potential long-term viability of similar projects here in the UK.

Widespread adoption will require collaboration across the entire industry, from infrastructure providers and policymakers to operators balancing environmental ambition with operational reality. Electric vehicles have a valuable role to play, but until the infrastructure catches up, national rollout remains a long way down the road.