Standing room ony. London focused operators, national and regional were at TfL HQ Palestra House for a packed round table event in the summer heat engaged, interactive and energetic quarterly event dedicated to alternative fuel solutions for London, delivering, delivering with clean air vehicles. At the heart of the Sept meeting was latest updates on the Clean Freight Survey and the Ultra-Low Emission Zone expansion. An interactive session on water and rail freight involved every mode of the attendees. How can TfL help mode shift for goods to rail or water, the attendees answered, facilitate location availability.’
Straw poll vote to open, Hands were up to agree, ‘the 2030 shift from fossil fuel vehicle in London will stand.’
Matt Boulton updated on post implementation of extended ULEZ with scrappage, exemption and grace period updates.
Carl Lomas, LoCITY chair, drove operator introduction and interaction on clean air for London with adoption of alternative fuelled vehicles. Recap on the group work focused on the business model for alternative vehicle purchase, and the infrastructure to charge it, Particular variance on the challenge to charge the vehicle in numbers at depot but also for the owner driver to charge street side. Lomas engaged the attendance to an interactive opening exchange of individual views.
Individual view keynotes delivered to the board included
-Infrastructure
-Electricity cost to charge – VAT at home 55 VAT commercial 20%
-Bio Methane credits and impact against emissions
-The Business case for clean air solutions
-Sourcing the next generation of vehicles
-Reliability of the alternative fuel vehicles
-Manufacturing timescales compared to regulation timescale
-Confidence to invest
-Transitional technologies
Hydrogen truck boss, Dr David Telford, Chief Scientific Officer of HVS, presented HGV hydrogen. Four by two hydrogen cell tractor unit for long haul on electric motors, with hydrogen around five pounds a kilo that delivers cost parity to diesel as soon as 2029.
C40 were back for another keynote, Catherine Ittner, 582 million residents in the C40 member cities. Catherine spoke about the innovative work done in other cities to accelerate the transition to net zero. The missions including priority for EV on higher mileage vehicles and the 582 million residents covered by C40
Keynote detail for LoCITY agenda 12th Sept 2023
A zero emission town, Zermatt, universal EV vehicles.
Carl Lomas showcased a host of photos from the zero emission town in Switzerland. The photo tour showcased a universal base vehicle, every style of use on the same base. >From tipper to delivery and taxi. One vehicle does all.
Water and rail freight interaction session Scott Wilding and John Oosthuizen TfL
Four questions
What are the barriers for using rail or water? Security - Access, scheduling, cross docking goods from other vehicles.
Which barriers are the most difficult to overcome? Timing – Tidal impact of the river. Space and transfer points. Cost, reliability, time of day, parcels and post sortation outside conventional hours. Night noise residential ect.
What benefits will help you consider rail or water? Cross handling - Roller cage space universality – lower accident rate on the roads
How can TfL help? Facilitate locations.
16.00 Update on ULEZ Matt Bolton TfL
Matt recapped with a post implementation update of extended ULEZ. London wide expansion from Aug 29th, Euro 4 petrol, Euro 6 diesel, Euro 3 for motorcycles. Twelve pounds fifty for none compliant. There have been more than 1500 scrappage applications since 21st August. There is still 100 million left in the scrappage pot. The vehicle checker is our ne stop shop and we encourage its use. Its the official site and its free. Matt spoke, exemptions and grace periods. The Business short term grace period is available if a vehicle has been purchased but is not yet available for delivery. You must have ordered the brand new vehicle by 29th Nov giving a grace period to May 2024. The scrappage scheme has been increase to 160million, any Londoner with a none compliant vehicle can apply. Van owners can receive up to seven thousand pounds or higher for fully electric.
Hydrogen Vehicle Systems, Dr David Telford HVS
Dr David Telford delivered an enthralling expert vision showcase on the future hydrogen truck, talked hydrogen value and wheel axel configuration to achieve the best future tractor unit. A four by two tractor solution for long range using a hydrogen fuel cell driving electric. Hydrogen prices vary, we think five pounds a kilo is the future value. ‘Hydrogen HGVs are then projected to achieve total cost of ownership parity with diesel in 2029 or earlier.’
Dr David Telford, ‘No alternative fuel HGV today can do everything a diesel truck does, different options deliver different solutions. At HVS we are focused on long haul HGVs. All new HGV must be zero emission by 2040, today, that is almost one buying cycle away. HVS are a new entrant to the HGV market, we have designed a hydrogen truck from the ground up. A fuel cell electric vehicle. We are not delivering hydrogen combustion. We are focused on a tractor unit, its about heavier payloads, longer journeys up to 600km. Our paradigm to truck design providing traction between distribution centres and hubs. Infrastructure for hydrogen is different to electric. Placing a hydrogen filling station at hub works well from numbers of ten tractor units upwards. Refuel takes twenty minutes.’ ‘Technology map, its a big truck but does not have a lot of space. Most UK trucks are 6 by two to win the best tax position but it restricts space. Four by two leaves a whole lot more space and delivers a far better turning space.’ The HVS hydrogen five point plan. What we need. Govt initiatives, the operators need support, we need regulatory framework changes, we need green hydrogen production, we need infrastructure, and our fifth point, we need skills and training.
Clean freight Survey update TFL Polyvios Polyviou
Polyvios covered a broad spectrum update from the Mayor of London Responsible procurement. E Cargo bike action plan implementation. ZE Last Mile delivery through procurement. EVIS delivery and clean Freight engagement. FORS recognition, version seven focus on environmental requirements.
C40 - Cities driving transition to zero emission urban logistics - Catherine Ittner
A network of one hundred cities around the World, 582 million residents. ‘London is a leading light in clen air transport’ - Mission to get the world off fossil fuels. Catherine spoke about people centred vision. A target to prioritise high mileage vehicles to electric. She took Milan as a case study with logistics hub support to final mile by cargo bike in the Cities. C40 frequently points to London for its ULEZ zone. Case study on kerbside loading zones in Los Angeles, the creation of new loading spaces that have been opened and are dedicated to zero emission vehicles. Catherine spoke passionately about dumping of none compliant vehicles into other cities.
Next meeting - 23rd Jan TfL LoCITY – Alternative fuel vehicles for London – round table
Dr David Telford HVS spoke hydrogen tractor units running on hydrogen fuel cell
LoCity chair Carl Lomas, TFL top team with HVS Hydrogen keynote speaker Dr David Telford
