Government plans to develop the electricity network for the growth of electric cars and vans have big holes to fill when it comes to really heavy vehicle operations, said Denise Beedell, Public Policy Manager at Logistics UK.
Earlier in November the Government said new build homes and workplaces would have to be equipped with charging points for owners and users but that left gaps for existing private buildings such as terrace homes and apartment blocks.
It also did not cover the mining, construction and forestry sectors which use very heavy specialist vehicles, not all of which are electric and a new generation of such equipment posed the issue of charging in very remote locations, sometimes only for days at a time ‘off-grid’.
“Regulation to ensure all new buildings, including homes and workplaces, are fitted with electric vehicle charge points is a vital step forward in England’s transition to a net zero emission economy. However, we need to see a faster and deeper acceleration of electric charging infrastructure across all sectors of the economy to speed up the decarbonisation of the logistics industry, in particular.
“With the government announcing a commitment to make it easier to pay for charging, Logistics UK is pressing them to introduce a centralised billing system for commercial operators which would make payment for businesses as seamless as possible,” she said.
“Logistics UK is also the urging the government to grant exemptions to the new-build rule for certain sectors that often operate in remote areas off the electricity grid, such as mining and quarrying. Owing to the nature of their work, these businesses are also more likely to move their site locations regularly and use heavier vehicles over vans or cars, making the expense of installing electric charge points unreasonable, especially until suitable electric HGVs are available for mass market purchase.”