A pledge by the Conservatives to scrap the planned ban on diesel vans and lorries if they get into power has sparked a debate on the challenges of commercial vehicle decarbonisation.

The Tories have said they want to scrap the 2035 and 2040 bans on new diesel lorries and claim this will save £877m by stopping grants for clean vans and trucks. Instead, the Conservatives said they prefer a multi-fuel plan to give trucking companies more choices.

Current paths set out to ban the sale of non-zero-emission HGVs up to 26 tonnes by 2035, and all heavier lorries by 2040.

Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden said pressing ahead with the HGV targets would increase transport costs by almost a fifth.

“Labour is spending £877m of taxpayers’ money chasing targets they plainly cannot meet.

“Their blinkered eco zealotry risks imposing huge costs on hauliers operating on wafer-thin margins, which will ultimately be paid by families at the checkout.”

However, the Conservatives didn’t mention that the UK Plug-in Van Grant was officially launched in February 2012 by the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government, while the extension into heavy trucks was later implemented in 2016 under a Conservative majority government.

In response, a Department for Transport spokesperson said the stats were “wilfully misrepresented and unsubstantiated” by the Tories.

“The HGV sector is vital to keeping our economy moving and growing, and we’re determined to support it as it makes the switch to electric as vehicles become more reliable and affordable.

“Industry is already on board, rolling out thousands of these vehicles across the country – and we’re investing £1bn to help businesses roll out clean trucks and vans and install depot chargers, building resilience against fuel price uncertainty.”

The Tory pledge on electric HGVs was announced as the party also separately highlighted “the hidden cost of net zero”. Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho claimed the Conservatives have published the most detailed energy analysis ever produced in British politics and reckoned that experts say scrapping net zero and focusing on making electricity cheap instead could save over £320bn on electricity bills by 2050.

The uphill battle of commercial fleet decarbonisation

The Road Haulage Association (RHA) said it welcomed the debate sparked by the Conservative Party’s pledge to scrap the phase-out dates for new diesel HGVs, warning that the move highlights the steep challenges facing commercial vehicle decarbonisation.

Richard Smith, RHA managing director, said: “Reducing emissions from HGV, coach and van fleets is one of the defining technical and economic challenges facing our industry. Operators work on extremely tight margins, and maintaining the reliability, range, payload and flexibility currently delivered by diesel vehicles will require substantial investment and coordinated action across government, industry and the energy sector.

“With HGVs accounting for 17% of domestic transport emissions, the RHA remains firmly committed to reducing the sector’s carbon emissions, but the transition must be practical, affordable and commercially viable for HGV, coach and van operators.

“We need a clear, long-term roadmap that creates the right enabling conditions and supports a multi-energy future, embracing electrification, sustainable biofuels, other low-carbon fuels and hydrogen according to operational need.

“We will continue to work constructively with the Government, opposition parties and our industry partners to develop a credible pathway that reduces emissions while protecting the businesses and supply chains on which the UK economy depends.”

But clean energy and vehicle firms argue that the policy reversal ignores rapidly improving technology and market economics.

Simon Smith, CEO of Voltempo, said: “The economics of electric HGVs are already becoming more compelling. They can deliver lower and more predictable operating costs, drivers prefer them and they offer important safety benefits. Hauliers aren’t asking government for more money – they need consistent policy and the confidence to make long-term investments in vehicles, charging and infrastructure.

“That certainty will accelerate private investment and help build stronger, more profitable haulage businesses, while reducing their exposure to volatile global oil prices. That’s good for UK growth, good for hauliers and, ultimately, good for consumers through more stable costs of getting goods onto shelves.”