How Electric Commercial Vehicles Are Greening Construction
19th December 2025 Electric commercial vehicles have been discussed for years, but construction has always been a harder environment in which to apply them. Concrete delivery depends on vehicles that can carry heavy loads, run continuously, and meet tight programme deadlines. For most fleets, diesel has remained the default because reliability cannot be compromised. Yet, that is starting to shift.
In a recent LinkedIn post, Lucy Wright, Group Commercial Director at LGW Group, shared an early look at a Volvo electric concrete mixer under evaluation for acquisition [1]. That's right. Electric heavy vehicles are now being tested under real-world operational conditions. As manufacturers publish clearer data on range, charging, and duty cycles, construction businesses are better placed to assess electrification based on performance rather than assumption.
Electric commercial vehicles can:
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Reduce on-site emissions
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Improve air quality around delivery points
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Support long-term fleet planning when introduced carefully
This article examines where electrification is being implemented in construction, the current capabilities of electric mixers, and how fleets are being planned alongside existing vehicles.
Can Electric Vehicles Handle Concrete Delivery?
Electric concrete mixers work hard for every mile. They carry heavy payloads, keep the drum rotating, and still need the consistency to meet tight delivery windows. Volvo’s published specifications for the FMX Electric concrete mixer show how electric commercial vehicles are being designed to handle these demands in real construction logistics [2].
What current electric concrete mixer specs tell us:
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Two electric motors delivering 330 kW
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Four batteries with 360 kWh capacity
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Mixer powered by a hydraulic system drawing from the traction battery
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I Shift transmission for controlled performance under load
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9m³ concrete mixer superstructure
Taken together, these figures point to a vehicle engineered for continuous mixing and heavy-duty operation, with the electrical system supporting both traction and the mixer body. For construction fleets assessing electrification, this kind of spec-level detail helps ground the conversation in capability and duty cycle planning rather than headline claims.
How Electric Commercial Vehicles Reduce Emissions in Practice
Electric commercial vehicles eliminate exhaust emissions at the point of use, directly improving air quality around construction sites and along delivery routes. For urban and roadside projects, this means lower exposure to nitrogen oxides and particulates during daily operations, supporting tighter planning conditions and low-emission zone requirements.
Crucially, the wider emissions profile of electric vehicles is improving as the UK electricity supply continues to decarbonise. Government figures show that in the second quarter of 2025, renewable sources generated 54.5% of the UK’s electricity, while low-carbon generation reached a record 69.8% of total supply. Over the same period, fossil fuels accounted for just 26.7% of electricity generation, the lowest share on record [3]. As a result, electric vehicles charged from the UK grid now operate within a significantly lower-carbon energy system than in previous years, reducing lifecycle emissions compared with diesel-powered alternatives used in high-mileage commercial roles.
What Changes Day-to-Day on Construction Sites
Beyond emissions, electric commercial vehicles affect day-to-day site conditions. Logistics decisions influence planning, access, and working practices across a range of urban and constrained sites.
On-site benefits typically include:
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Lower vehicle noise, supporting extended working hours and reduced disruption
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Improved air quality around delivery points and confined areas
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More predictable servicing schedules due to simpler drivetrains
For construction teams, these factors support safer, more controlled working environments without altering delivery outcomes.
Where Electric Vehicles Fit Within Live Construction Services
Fleet electrification is directly related to how materials are delivered and used on-site. Concrete delivery is time-critical, particularly for structural pours and flooring work. Here, consistency and coordination matter more than vehicle type alone. Any move toward electric commercial vehicles must therefore support existing service standards rather than disrupt them.
Reduced vehicle noise and emissions can be beneficial during complex pours, especially on constrained or urban sites. This is relevant where concrete pumping and flooring installation occur alongside other trades, and where site conditions require tighter control over access and working hours.
From a planning perspective, these factors increasingly influence logistics decisions as part of wider project coordination rather than being treated as secondary considerations.
Why Transport Emissions Keep Fleet Choices Under Scrutiny
Construction fleets are part of a broader UK push to reduce emissions from high-impact sectors, including transport and energy. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports that UK greenhouse gas emissions on a residence basis were 479 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2023, the lowest level since 1990, and 43.0% lower than in 1990 [4]. The same bulletin shows the scale of emissions linked to transport activity, with the transport industry estimated at 73 MtCO2e in 2023, placing it among the highest-emitting industries.
This matters for electric commercial vehicles because fleet decisions shape emissions at the source, particularly where vehicles run daily routes to construction sites and plants. As electrification becomes more viable in heavy-duty roles, the focus shifts to what can be delivered reliably under real duty cycles, not whether the technology exists.
In construction, uptake tends to follow proven performance. Case studies help procurement teams and site leads assess practical outcomes such as delivery reliability, coordination, and programme risk. Our Case Studies reflect this approach by focusing on operational delivery across a mix of infrastructure and commercial projects.
A Practical Route Toward Lower-Carbon Construction Fleets
Electric commercial vehicles are being adopted carefully across construction, with decisions driven by reliability, route suitability, charging access, and total cost of ownership. Rather than wholesale replacement, electrification is increasingly assessed to support delivery certainty, compliance, and long-term fleet planning without affecting site performance.
For LGW Group, this measured approach reflects how construction logistics work in practice. Operating across the South and Wales, the business continues to assess fleet developments that align with dependable concrete supply, consistent site coordination, and evolving environmental requirements. Updates on fleet activity and service investment are shared through our News section, where we provide the utmost transparency around how construction delivery continues to adapt.
Call 0117 958 2090 or arrange a consultation to discuss how we can support your project with reliable concrete supply.
External Sources
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LinkedIn, “Lucy Wright, Group Commercial Director at LGW Group”: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lucy-wright-70442876_electric-carbon-oasis-activity-7377416096460582912-kkGQ
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Volvo, “FMX Electric concrete mixer”: https://www.volvotrucks.co.uk/en-gb/news/press-releases/2023/feb/volvo-trucks-delivers-the-first-heavy-duty-fmx-electric-concrete-mixer-to-cemex.html
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GOV.UK, “Government figures”: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/692d7e9d345e31ab14ecf7cf/Energy_Trends_September_2025.pdf
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The Office for National Statistics (ONS), “UK greenhouse gas emissions”: https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/bulletins/ukenvironmentalaccounts/2025