Haulage group warns weight rules are holding back electric HGVs

The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has warned that current vehicle weight rules are making it much harder for operators to switch to electric lorries, even though the industry is under pressure to cut emissions.

In a recent report, the RHA says electric HGVs can carry significantly less freight than diesel equivalents because their heavy batteries take up so much of the vehicle’s allowed weight.

As a result, electric lorries may be less efficient and more expensive to use for many haulage businesses. Under the current rules, most electric HGVs are limited to the same maximum weight as diesel vehicles.

The RHA says this creates a problem, because electric trucks are heavier before any load is added.

The association estimates that operators can lose around 12% of payload capacity when switching to certain electric HGVs.

That means fewer goods per trip and, in many cases, the need to run more vehicles or make extra journeys to do the same job.

For a sector where margins are already tight, this loss of efficiency can significantly increase costs and undermine the business case for electrification.

The UK currently allows a small weight allowance for some zero‑emission vehicles to help offset the extra battery weight.

However, the RHA says this does not apply to the heaviest 44‑tonne lorries, which are widely used for long‑distance and high‑volume freight.

This means some of the operators most likely to invest in electric HGVs are also the ones most penalised by the current rules.

The RHA is asking the Government to rethink HGV weight limits so electric trucks are not put at a disadvantage.

The group argues that without regulatory change, electric HGVs will remain a costlier and less practical option for many operators, slowing down the shift away from diesel.

The report also highlights a wider concern. If electric trucks carry less, operators may need to put more HGVs on the road to move the same volume of goods.

This could increase congestion and reduce some of the environmental benefits expected from electrification.