In March 2026, HTM conducted a focused trial to evaluate the viability of Electric Traffic Management Vehicles (E-TMVs) as a replacement for traditional diesel Class 3 TMVs. The goal was to assess the operational impact and carbon savings potential to support the company’s strategic objective of reducing total emissions by 4%.

The initial trial took place over a 16-day period, with two electric vehicles introduced in Birmingham, which covered a combined distance of 1,504.13km. The transition to electric power resulted in a dramatic reduction in carbon output compared to diesel benchmarks.

• Vehicle A: Covered 969.83km. It produced only 6.99 kgCO2e, compared to the 270.09 kgCO2e a diesel equivalent would have emitted.
• Vehicle B: Covered 534.30km. It produced 3.85 kgCO2e, compared to 148.95 kgCO2e of a diesel equivalent.

The trial successfully diverted a significant amount of greenhouse gas from the atmosphere, with 408.20kg of total carbon saved and over 97% carbon savings per kilometre when compared to diesel, confirming that these vehicles could be a high-impact tool for achieving the company’s 4% emission reduction target.

The business also asked for input from its workforce. Feedback from the drivers was overwhelmingly positive, noting the performance and ease of use of the E-TMVs.

While the trial was a success, it was noted that E-TMVs are currently best suited for specific routes and jobs where range and charging infrastructure align with the vehicle’s capabilities. This is something that the business is managing through allocating the vehicles against local works within the Birmingham contract.

The successful trial then supported the business case for investment in an additional 10 E-TMVs, creating a total electric fleet of 12 vehicles running out of the company’s Perry Barr depot.

Martyn Long, Transport Manager at HTM, said:

“It has been a significant step forward for us as a business to trial and successfully implement fully electric traffic management vehicles into our daily operations. The fact they are now successfully embedded within our business model and supporting us with our overarching environmental strategy is a huge feat. It demonstrates that even if the nature of our work revolves around traffic management, we can still adopt modern transport solutions effectively.”

Kayleigh Sutton, ESG Coordinator at HTM, added:

“It has been great to support the end-to-end management of the E-TMVs, from the initial conversations with the transport department to setting up and monitoring the trial, to the full implementation of 12 E-TMVs within the business working across one of our Birmingham contracts.”