London, UK: The Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) has called again for reform of the grant system for zero-emission HGVs and for investment in charging points. The SMMT made the comments while revealing that the UK new heavy vehicle market grew 2.6% in Q2 as overall uptake stabilised following a bumper 2023. Zero-emission truck uptake rose 30% in the quarter but still only makes up 0.6% of market share.
The SMMT said: “With just over a decade to go until the end of sale of non-ZEV HGVs weighing less than 26 tonnes, operators continue to face a grant system that is lengthy and covers fewer than half of all available models.
“Progress on the rollout of HGV-specific charging facilities also remains lacklustre. While more are expected to come online in the coming months, the UK currently has just one dedicated truck public charging location. Reforming the grant, plus investment in infrastructure within a national plan, would provide more confidence to operators and encourage greater uptake.”
Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT said the turnaround for the HGV sector is a testament to the market’s strength and its ability to adapt to challenging conditions. He said: “The truck market’s return to growth after a slower start to the year demonstrates its robustness and resilience.”
