Labour could introduce tougher rules requiring popular vehicles to be electric by 2030 under new proposals

The signatories warned that while the UK announced ambitions in 2021 to achieve 100 per cent zero-emission HGV sales by 2035 for vehicles under 26 tonnes and by 2040 for larger vehicles, the sector desperately needs a clear regulatory framework to support these targets.

"The industry urgently needs certainty regarding the pathway to compliance," the letter stated, adding that regulations would provide the confidence needed for car manufacturers and charging infrastructure companies to invest in the transition.

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The letter coordinated by Transport & Environment UK, included major retailers Tesco and Coca Cola Europacific Partners, as well as ChargeUK, amongst its signatories.

The organisations called on the Government to bring forward consultation on regulatory proposals for decarbonising the heavy-duty sector to 2030 in line with the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate.

"We believe this is necessary to ensure the UK HGV industry begins to get the certainty and investment it needs to make progress on decarbonisation," the letter stated.

Last week, Transport & Environment UK and Welch Group brought an electric truck to Westminster to demonstrate that zero-emission HGVs are already operational on British roads.

The demonstration attracted dozens of parliamentarians, including Transport Select Committee Chair Ruth Cadbury MP and Environmental Audit Committee Chair Toby Perkins MP.

T&E UK Director Anna Krajinska highlighted the stark reality facing the sector: "Just 97 out of nearly 10,000 new trucks sold in the UK in the first three months of this year were zero-emission. That's less than one per cent."

She called for the ZEV mandate to include trucks, arguing that it would give manufacturers, operators and the charging industry the confidence to invest and "help accelerate the shift to a cleaner, more resilient freight system".

Meanwhile, Jamie Sands, Head of Solutions at Welch Group, warned that the UK is "already running electric HGVs day in, day out".

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"The technology is ready, now we need to see the right support to help operators transition at scale," Sands urged the Government.

At the Spending Review last week, the Government announced £2.6billion in capital investment to decarbonise transport from 2026-27 to 2029-30, including £1.4billion specifically to boost electric vehicle uptake, including HGVs.

However, campaigners have argued that funding alone will not be sufficient without accompanying regulatory certainty.

"We brought an electric truck to Parliament to show that zero-emission trucks are not a technology of the future—they're already on UK roads," Krajinska said.

She added: "But to unlock the growth, jobs, and investment that come with the transition, the sector needs certainty through robust regulation."

Krajinska warned that the UK risks falling behind the European Union, which has already established comprehensive regulations for decarbonising trucks, buses and coaches.

The signatories pointed to the success of the UK's ZEV mandate for cars and vans, which they said had already attracted more than £23billion in green investment ranging from charging infrastructure to battery manufacturing facilities.

"Now is the opportunity to put the UK's HGV industry among the world's leading when it comes to innovation and climate action. We hope the Government will seize this opportunity," the letter concluded.