Plug in to stand out - EV vehicles could be the answer

Considering increasing fuel prices and effects on timber businesses, the upcoming ban on sales of ICE vehicles over 26 tonnes in 2040, and increasing eHGV focused support from Scottish Government, there has never been a better time for hauliers to “plug in to stand out”. 

The Net Zero Timhaul (NZTH) pilot project was originally developed to explore how battery electric HGVs (eHGVs) can replace diesel vehicles in forestry operations as a practical step towards zero emission operations.

Now, at the end of year 2, the NZTH eHGVs have collectively completed 132,309 km (82,213 miles) avoiding 165 TCO₂eq total, comfortably saving just over 1 kgCO₂eq/km per lorry with operational ranges of 182 km (113 miles) on a full battery.

Overall, the second year of NZTH has delivered substantive technical and operational insights, building on the baseline performance, system reliability, and operational integration data. Findings to date include:

• Despite high capex, operational costs for eHGVs are much lower so the payoff distance where parity is reached with the diesel equivalent is c.131,000 miles or 5-years.
• The lorries reduce emissions by 1.186 kgCO2e/km (0.74 kgCO2e/mile) which, taking account of particulates etc, is a 91% reduction over the diesel equivalent.
• The Plug-In Truck Grant is now available providing operators with £120,000 grant support to reduce capex.
• 2025 saw a record 170% increase in eHGV registrations globally with more than 500 units ordered in the UK alone.
• Another 748 charging hubs were added nationally with a 41% increase in Ultra-rapid (>150 kW) chargers and 400 kW chargers becoming available.
• More than £200 million support is being invested in charging infrastructure

You can read more in the 2025 Progress Report and the team have produced a short film.

This project is funded by Scottish Forestry through the Strategic Timber Transport Fund, with support from partners Creel Maritime, James Jones and Sons, and Scotlog.