While most vehicle traffic is for passenger transport, we often overlook the environmental impact of industrial vehicles. For example, in the European Union, lorries, buses, and coaches account for only 5 per cent of traffic but 25 per cent of total vehicle carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. The heaviest vehicles, while less common, account for nearly 50 per cent of these emissions. So, improving the energy efficiency of industrial vehicles offers a significant opportunity to radically reduce global emissions.

The transportation of people, goods and raw materials accounts for over 25 per cent of the world’s total energy consumption and almost 30 per cent of global CO₂ emissions. In addition to CO₂ emissions, diesel-powered vehicles also emit other harmful gases and particulates. In the US alone, construction machines contribute an estimated 32 per cent of mobile source nitrogen oxide (NO_x) emissions. These place the health of workers in jeopardy by forming...