Shaping the transition

The newly announced Top Five Motor Transport Decarbonisation Power Players come together to discuss what they are seeing at the forefront of the transition. Rather than concentrating on their individual achievements, the discussion will consider what has changed over the past year, where genuine progress is being made, what is still getting in the way and what government and industry need to prioritise next.

The role of regional transport partnerships

As English devolution gathers pace, what role should regional authorities play in planning the infrastructure required for future freight?

This session will examine regional freight strategies, charging and alternative fuel infrastructure, and the increasingly important relationship between transport, energy and land-use planning.

It will also ask how regional action can accelerate progress without creating a patchwork of different approaches for national fleet operators.

Battery health and residual values

Battery health is set to become increasingly important as electric commercial vehicles move through their first ownership cycles.

This session will explore emerging battery health standards, independent assessment, residual value forecasting and the implications for used vehicle buyers, finance providers and insurers.

The discussion will focus on how greater transparency around battery condition can create confidence in both new and used electric HGVs.

One destination. Several pathways.

There is unlikely to be one technology capable of meeting every commercial vehicle duty cycle.

This session will move beyond arguments about technology winners and losers to consider where battery electric, biomethane, biofuels, hydrogen and renewable liquid fuels can work commercially.

The focus will be on operational suitability, infrastructure, affordability and how operators can make investment decisions while technologies and policy continue to evolve.

From policy decisions to the future of freight

The closing session brings together the immediate policy agenda with a longer-term look at how road freight could change by 2035.

It will consider the outcome of the HGV CO₂ consultation, future zero-emission HGV regulation, what should follow the current ZEHID programme and the policy certainty operators need to invest.

The discussion will then look further ahead to autonomous commercial vehicles, artificial intelligence, connected logistics, automated depots, energy management and emerging operating models.

At its heart will be one question: are we developing policy simply to decarbonise today's road freight model, or creating the framework for the freight system of the future?

The Summit will conclude by asking what decisions government and industry need to take before 2030 to deliver a competitive, productive and decarbonised road freight sector.