The British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association (BVRLA) has responded to the Government’s proposals on phasing-out the sale of new, non-zero emission heavy goods vehicles.
When considering the phase-out date, the BVRLA believes there is still a huge amount of uncertainty about which powertrain technology will work best and what infrastructure will be available to support the transition to zero-emission HGVs.
It says the vast variety of use cases requires a more nuanced and studied approach. The association suggests that, as a minimum, the split between 2035 and 2040 phase out dates should occur at 18 tonnes not 26 tonnes and that another earlier split at 7.5 tonnes should be considered.
The use of low carbon fuels has been instrumental in helping reduce emissions and should continue to be supported to create immediate carbon reduction gains while zero emission product is not viable.
There should be an increase to maximum permissible weights to cater for the additional weight and loss of payload when moving to zero-emission vehicles. A wider review of vehicle weights should be considered to prepare for a range of zero-emission technologies being used.
Finally, the BVRLA calls for the Government to produce a delivery plan like that seen for cars and vans. To support this, the association has recommended the setting up a taskforce with a range of stakeholders, including end users, to make recommendations for the delivery plan.
It says this group should also have a role in identifying the challenges in reaching the phase-out dates and in developing the solutions needed to overcome them.
