Plans for e-highways where electrical power cables run above the lanes to charge electric lorries as they travel along the motorway have been given initial funding and are set to be trialled in the UK.
e-highway Scania electric lorry on Siemens power cables. Credit: Siemens Mobility
Scania and Siemens are set to take part in one of the trials following successful trials in the US, Sweden and Germany. Credit: Siemens Mobility
This comes as part of a wider £20 million (€23.5 million) scheme to help decarbonise Britain's road freight marking one of three feasibility studies to be held in the UK aimed towards sustainable travel.
Diesel and petrol-powered trucks are set to be banned in the UK by 2040 as part of the nation's plans to become completely net-zero by 2050.
Read more: UK to ban the sale of new diesel trucks by 2040
However, lorry companies will have to look for alternatives to the standard lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles owing to the weight of the vehicles involved.
Despite this, the government claims the lorries used in at least one of the trials will be battery-powered.
This comes following the announcement of the government’s transport decarbonisation plan, which will set phase-out dates for the sale of new non-zero emissions heavy goods vehicles, subject to consultation.
One e-highway scheme has been given an initial grant of £2 million (€2.35 million) and involves 20km of electric cables running along the M180 near Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire.
The project will be headed by Costain, with trucks supplied by Scania and power cable tech supplied by Siemens Mobility.
Should everything be approved promptly, the trucks could be on the road by 2024.
Another feasibility study will be launched in Scotland focusing on the viability of trucks powered by green hydrogen. The study will be led by Arcola Energy and use hydrogen fuel cells as a power base.
The government hope this scheme will allow them to become the first country in the world to end the sale of fossil fuel-powered vehicles and transitioning to vehicles powered through renewable generation.
Read more: UK to ban all sales of diesel and petrol vehicles by 2030
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "From Doncaster to Scotland, by working in partnership with industry, this funding will allow us to better understand the role of zero-emission HGVs while levelling up the industry and boosting regional economies."
Four other transport feasibility studies are being considered to allow for the UK to properly decarbonise its heavy transport and freight sectors.
The transport ministry hopes this will encourage lorry companies to seek alternatives to petrol and diesel.
"The UK government’s transport decarbonisation plan will help the country build back greener from COVID-19," according to UK government minister for Scotland Iain Stewart.
"With Glasgow firmly on the world stage later this year for the COP26 summit, these projects are vital to showing how the UK is innovating to help save the planet," he added.
Similar studies by Siemens and Scania have already taken place in the US, Sweden and Germany.
William Wilson, CEO of Siemens Mobility said: "Investing in proven technologies like e-highways can help us go further and faster to decarbonise the UK’s transport network, and support jobs and growth to level up the country.
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"By building on successful trials from other countries like Germany, our ERS consortium M180 trial will help the UK move a step closer to replacing more polluting trucks with clean, efficient electric HGVs ."
Another study will see a fleet of 20 battery-electric DAF trucks supplied by Leyland Trucks rolled out for the NHS and other local authorities.
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