Summary
The report outlines the first year of a three-year pilot testing electric heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in Scotland’s timber transport sector. With diesel HGVs set to be phased out by 2040, the project explores how battery electric vehicles (BEVs) can replace them in forestry operations.
Supported by Scottish Forestry’s Strategic Timber Transport Fund, the trial involved Volvo FH Electric trucks operating in Lockerbie and Inverness. The trucks covered 40,000 miles and cut around 80 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions - about 2kg CO₂ per mile2.
This is a practical step towards low-emission timber transport. It shows electric HGVs can work - but full transition will need more tech, better infrastructure, and industry-wide collaboration.
