Logistics UK has reiterated its call for the urgent publication of the Low Carbon Fuels (LCFs) strategy as it continues to highlight how e-fuels could aid transport decarbonisation.
The industry body has previously called for a long-term plan from government for utilising low carbon fuels across transport modes, warning that battery technology is not widely available in every type of logistics vehicle at present.
And with the Government’s Low Carbon Fuels (LCFs) Strategy over six months late, it says logistics businesses are seeking urgent clarity on how widely government will support the use of LCFs across all modes of transport.
Carbon-neutral e-fuels have hit the headlines this year after the European Commission’s U-turn, when it agreed to exempt e-fuels from the 2035 ban on new sales of combustion-engine cars. While the UK government has ruled out such a move here, MPs on the Transport Committee, which examines policy issues relating to the Department for Transport, recently spotlighted the benefits of synthetic fuels and biofuels in a report that said they could be a more “socially equitable” way of cutting emissions from private cars than EVs, which some may struggle to afford.
In its Fuelling the Future report, the committee recommended that the Government should facilitate the continued use of hybrid and petrol vehicles that could utilise synthetic drop-in fuels, as it expressed doubts the Government will be able to sufficiently scale up the availability of charging infrastructure to meet widespread demand.
However, in its response, the Government said “there is a broad consensus amongst industry, non-governmental organisations, and other experts that electrification is the most efficient approach to decarbonising cars and vans”.
It added that it has “committed to making the transition to ZEVs affordable for everyone”, and that government incentives on infrastructure “are now targeted to where they will deliver the most impact and deliver the greatest value for money to the taxpayer”.
The response read: “The Government has committed to adopting a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate which will establish a trading scheme that will require car and van manufacturers to sell an increasing share of ZEVs each year from 2024, until a phase out from sale of all new non-ZEVs by 2035.”
It also said the majority of car manufacturers have committed to selling 100% electric cars by 2030, and pointed to increased sales and falling prices of ZEVs.
The Government also said drop-in fuels face constraints around their cost and availability and that they are more likely to have a role in the decarbonisation of transport sectors where there are limited alternatives to liquid or gaseous fuels, such as aviation and maritime. They could also have role in niche applications, such as for classic and historic vehicles.
FleetCheck has previously said that e-fuels are not a genuine widescale solution to transport decarbonisation but could play a “limited role” where electric vehicles might remain impractical for the time being. Discussions by the firm with fleets has revealed various areas where the market is currently without viable offerings – such as 4x4s used by power companies in remote areas and ambulances, both of which require round-the-clock access for an emergency.
