Because they haul heavy loads over long distances, HGVs need a fuel that is energy dense. While shorter distance delivery trucks that return to base can now run on batteries, for long-distance HGVs this remains utterly impractical. The lorry would neither carry much payload nor travel very far – and much of the battery’s energy would be spent dragging itself around. Another alternative would be advanced biofuels, but these are taking far longer than expected to emerge, and many developers have gone bust. Another would be natural gas powered trucks, but the economics are challenging, particularly at current low oil prices.

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