Diesel-fuelled haulage sector ‘hard to abate’ amid lag in tech, says Environment Minister

As electric heavy goods vehicles remain too expensive or not capable of long distances for hauliers, the strategy seeks to encourage greener fuels until such a time when electrification can come on stream. Picture: Henadzi Pechan/iStock

Environment Minister Eamon Ryan has said Ireland’s heavy goods haulage sector is “hard to abate” amid a lag in viable alternative technologies to diesel-fuelled engines.

Mr Ryan said that 99% of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in Ireland run on diesel and “alternative vehicle technologies have not, so far, developed as quickly as for cars, light goods freight, or even buses”.