Electric HGVs had range to spare on 95% of routes

The study, carried out by the Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA), Renault Trucks and contract hire specialist Vertellus, found that up to 95% of the short and regional journeys operated by two participating wholesalers could potentially be completed by electric HGVs. However, the findings relate specifically to local and regional multi-drop operations rather than HGV transport more broadly.

Trucks tested across multiple seasons

United Wholesale (Scotland) and Creed Foodservice took part in the trial through the Vertellus EV Discovery Programme.

The programme allows operators to lease 18-tonne Renault Trucks E-Tech D electric HGVs for 12 months at a cost described by the organisers as comparable with equivalent diesel vehicles.

Rather than running the trucks on dedicated test routes, the two wholesalers incorporated them into normal multi-drop food and drink delivery operations across multiple seasons.

According to the resulting case study, electric HGVs could handle up to 95% of the short and regional journeys across the two operators’ fleets.

The organisers also said the vehicles “matched or exceeded” diesel performance on local multi-drop work. The published findings do not, however, set out a comprehensive diesel-versus-electric benchmark covering measures such as payload, productivity, uptime and total cost of ownership.

The 95% figure should therefore not be interpreted as suggesting that electric trucks could already replace diesel vehicles on 95% of HGV journeys generally. The trial concerned 18-tonne rigids operating comparatively predictable local and regional distribution routes – an application widely considered particularly well suited to battery-electric vehicles.

Average battery use was just 36%

Perhaps the more striking finding concerned how much of the trucks’ available range operators were actually using. Across the trial, average battery consumption was only 36% of available capacity, leaving nearly two-thirds unused.

The case study argues that this points to considerable scope for increasing utilisation as operators gain confidence in the vehicles’ real-world range and become more comfortable planning electric routes. The result also illustrates a less tangible obstacle to electrification: operators accustomed to diesel may initially build significantly larger range buffers into electric vehicle schedules than ultimately prove necessary.

Lower energy costs reported

Both operators also reported lower running-energy costs when vehicles could be charged at their depots. United Wholesale calculated that its electric vehicle cost around £10–£20 less per 100 km to run than a diesel equivalent, while Creed Foodservice estimated an annual saving of £6,630 per vehicle.

The figures were calculated using energy prices from February 2026 and therefore should not be treated as fixed savings: the economics of depot charging depend heavily on electricity tariffs, diesel prices and how charging is managed. The study estimated emissions reductions at more than 50 kg of CO₂ per 100 km, equivalent to approximately 10–13 tonnes per truck annually.

Chris Gallacher, managing director of United Wholesale (Scotland), said the trial had demonstrated that electric trucks could work within the company’s everyday delivery operation while cutting both emissions and running costs. 

“The positive response from our drivers and customers has been particularly encouraging and gives us confidence to keep moving forward,” he said.

Charging remains the catch

The results do not remove one of the principal obstacles facing electric HGV operators: access to charging. The study identifies charging infrastructure outside built-up areas, including beyond Scotland’s central belt, as an area requiring further development, alongside route planning and greater operational experience with electric vehicles.

That distinction matters. Depot-based electric trucks returning reliably to their own chargers each day present a considerably simpler proposition than vehicles operating longer or less predictable routes and relying on public HGV charging. Roger Clarke, head of electromobility and advanced customer solutions at Renault Trucks UK, described urban and regional operations as a “real sweet spot” for electric trucks.

The case study therefore provides encouraging evidence for one particular segment of road freight rather than proof that the diesel truck can already be replaced universally. What it does suggest is that, on predictable local and regional distribution work, the limiting factor may increasingly be charging availability and operator confidence rather than the amount of battery fitted to the truck.