LOGISTICS & DISTRIBUTION
Logistics leaders face mounting pressure to perfect route planning, as it influences cost savings, fuel use, delivery times and vehicle efficiency. While alternative fuel vehicles( AFVs) promise lower emissions, many view them as financially unviable for now.
Research from Wincanton, now part of GXO, shows only 25 % of supply chain decision-makers expect AFVs to become affordable within six years and 54 % of UK businesses doubt they will meet net-zero goals. This hesitation highlights widespread concern about the short-term costs and uncertain returns of AFV adoption, even as the sector searches for sustainable, cost-efficient ways to meet growing operational and environmental demands.
Carl Hanson, Group Transport Managing Director at Wincanton, believes waiting for lower-cost technology is not an option.
“ Many businesses still view sustainability as an expense rather than an opportunity – particularly when it comes to adopting alternative fuel vehicles,” he says.
“ In fact, only a quarter of supply chain decision-makers believe AFVs will be affordable in the next four to six years. For organisations already under pressure, that perception creates hesitation and delays progress.”
Uncertainty can also have a knock-on effect across the sector, especially when businesses delay emissions reduction plans while waiting for more cost-effective vehicles.
92 December 2025