Future motorways could look very different if plans to install overhead charging cables for electric trucks come to fruition. A proposal to trial the system on the slow lanes of UK motorways has been published recently as part of the government’s aim to have net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The initial plan is expected to cost £80m for a section of the M180 in South Yorkshire close to the huge container port at Immingham. Electric trucks leaving the port would draw power from cables in the same way as trams or trains. The electricity would also charge on-board batteries, providing enough power for the truck to reach its destination beyond the electrified motorway section.

If successful the trial could be rolled out on a wider basis at a cost of some £20bn. Similar systems are already being tested in Germany and Sweden.