UK's Push for Electric Trucks: A Costly Green Shift?

The UK government has rolled out a new plan to make electric trucks more affordable. They're offering grants of up to £120,000 for businesses to switch to electric heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). This is part of a bigger £318 million investment to support green freight and cut emissions.

Grant Details

The grants are available for different sizes of trucks:

• Smaller trucks: Save up to £20,000
• Largest trucks: Save up to £120,000

This is similar to the grants given for electric cars, but on a much larger scale.

Government Goals

The government wants to phase out petrol and diesel lorries by 2040. They believe this will help:

• Reduce emissions
• Create jobs

However, some people think this is a lot of money for a small number of trucks.

Cost Considerations

There are around half a million HGVs in the UK. If the government subsidizes each one, it could cost around £50 billion. Plus, there are extra costs for charging infrastructure, making the total cost much higher.

Impact of Grants

The grants are not enough to make a big difference. They can only fund about 150 lorries at the top rate. Some people wonder why taxpayers should pay for big companies like Amazon to switch to electric trucks.

Government's Stance

The government says this is part of their plan to:

• Boost growth
• Support jobs

But some people think it's a lot of money for a small number of trucks. They wonder if this is the best way to spend taxpayers' money.