The Commercial Vehicle Show has released its latest Decarbonisation Report, offering a comprehensive overview of the UK commercial vehicle industry’s progress towards zero-emission transport. Combining insights from both the light commercial vehicle (LCV) and heavy goods vehicle (HGV) sectors, the report highlights the opportunities, challenges and differing rates of adoption shaping the road to net zero.
Based on responses from 171 fleet operators, the report provides a detailed cross-sector analysis of decarbonisation efforts, examining the key barriers and drivers influencing the transition while assessing industry confidence in meeting the UK Government’s emissions reduction targets.
The findings show a clear divide between the LCV and HGV sectors. In the LCV market, electrification is moving beyond the planning stage and into active deployment. Many operators are identifying viable routes to decarbonisation and are choosing to switch directly from diesel-powered vehicles to fully electric alternatives, often bypassing hybrid technology altogether.
Image: CV Show
By contrast, the HGV sector remains at an earlier phase of its decarbonisation journey. Diesel continues to dominate fleet operations, while operators are still evaluating the most effective long-term alternatives. Options under consideration include hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), gas-powered vehicles, battery-electric trucks and hydrogen fuel cell technology, with no clear consensus yet emerging across the industry.
Infrastructure remains the most significant challenge facing both sectors. Fleet operators identified charging availability, depot charging capacity and electricity grid readiness as major obstacles to wider adoption of zero-emission vehicles. Concerns over vehicle range, payload limitations and vehicle availability also continue to slow progress.
As a result, confidence in achieving the UK’s 2040 decarbonisation targets remains mixed. The report suggests that varying operational requirements across different fleet types are contributing to an uneven pace of transition throughout the commercial vehicle sector.
Despite these challenges, the report reveals a strong commitment to decarbonisation across the industry. The key issue is no longer whether operators want to reduce emissions, but how quickly practical barriers can be addressed to enable large-scale adoption of cleaner vehicle technologies.
Nick Davison, Event Director, CV Show, said: “This combined report gives the clearest picture yet of where the commercial vehicle sector stands on its journey to net zero. What we’re seeing is not a lack of ambition, but a need for the right infrastructure, clarity and support to unlock progress at scale. Operators are clearly ready to move – the challenge now is removing the barriers that slow them down.”
Download the Commercial-Vehicle-Decarbonisation-Report here.
