Ireland's €1M Zero-Emissions HGV Fund Unspent; Electric Truck Adoption Slow

Ireland's electric car market share grew to 22%, with sales doubling last month while diesel sales dropped 30%. However, the haulage industry faces significant hurdles in adopting electric heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).

Last year, a €1 million State fund for zero-emissions HGV infrastructure saw only €200,000 drawn down, with most of it, bar €12,000, spent on administrative costs. Labour TD Ciarán Ahern noted Ireland's HGV fleet is just over 1% electric, compared to 4.5% in Europe and 25% in China.

Brendan Dixon of Dixon Transport Ireland operates four Volvo electric trucks within Dublin's 300km range, finding them economically unviable for longer routes. He highlighted the lack of dedicated HGV charging infrastructure and unregulated commercial charging costs, which often exceed the commercially viable rate of 40 cents per kilowatt-hour. Dixon suggests government regulation of charging rates would encourage wider adoption.

Other hauliers, like Brendan Ryan of Martin Ryan Haulage and Eoin Gavin of his own company, cite heavy batteries, limited range, high charging costs, lack of resale value, and fire hazards on boats as major impediments. They also point to EU driving hour restrictions, which conflict with long charging times. The Government announced changes to the Zero-Emission Heavy Duty Vehicle purchase grant scheme in March, offering up to €500,000 per year, but Minister Darragh O’Brien acknowledged the sector's slow embrace due to vehicle weight, with BEVs weighing 1.5 to 2 tonnes more than diesel counterparts.