John Lewis Partnership to phase out all diesel heavy trucks by 2028

The John Lewis Partnership will switch from diesel-powered heavy trucks to 100 per cent renewable biomethane-powered versions by 2028, a move the company states will cut its HGV emissions by more than 80 per cent.

Once converted, the fleet of 500 Waitrose & Partners and John Lewis & Partners delivery truck will save more than 49,000 tonnes of CO2 every year – equivalent to the carbon footprint of just over 6,000 UK households.

The announcement comes during the Government’s Green GB Week and, said the John Lewis Partnership, represents “a significant commitment to reducing HGV emissions”, which account for 18 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions for road transport in the UK, and around 70 per cent of the John Lewis Partnership’s transport emissions.

The Partnership has been trialling biomethane trucks since 2015 as a low-carbon alternative to diesel, with 61 biomethane trucks already in operation, or about to be delivered, and the biomethane fuel supplied by CNG Fuels.

Six Waitrose & Partners delivery trucks are also currently trialling zero-emission refrigeration units as part of the Low Emissions Freight and Logistics Trial.

The biomethane used in all of John Lewis Partnership’s trucks is renewable and produced solely from food waste and waste materials.

Each new biomethane truck can run up to 500 miles and as biomethane is cheaper than conventional diesel, the biomethane trucks have lower operating costs than their diesel equivalents.

Justin Laney, partner and general manager of central transport, John Lewis Partnership, said: “We have been pioneering the adoption of long-distance biomethane trucks in the UK and scaling this up to our entire heavy truck fleet will deliver significant environmental and operational benefits.

“Five biomethane trucks produce the same emissions as one diesel lorry and they are also much quieter, helping reduce not only greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution but also noise pollution in our cities.”