Welch Group electric trucks cut carbon for British Antarctic Survey

Family-owned haulier Welch Group has deployed 100 per cent electric HGVs in support of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and its mission to reach net zero by 2040.

Headquartered in Cambridge, the BAS is the national polar research institute, which operates research stations across British Antarctic Territory and South Georgia, two of the UK’s overseas territories.

The electric HGVs will mean that scientists dedicated to studying Earth’s melting ice caps are now seeing their own supply chain decarbonised on the ground. While the BAS is well known for its polar research into the climate crisis, the logistical challenge of moving heavy equipment – from Pisten Bully snow vehicles to essential life-support supplies – has traditionally relied on carbon-intensive transport.

The move to electric vehicles, which is part of the government’s Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme, will see equipment destined for the most remote corners of the world being moved from Cambridge to UK ports by the trucks. Building on a two-decade relationship, Welch Group will thereby help BAS eliminate its Scope 3 emissions and minimise its environmental impact.

Chris Welch, managing director of the Welch Group, said: “It’s a poetic transition. We’ve spent 20 years moving equipment for BAS using traditional methods. To now be able to support the world’s leading climate researchers using the very green technology they advocate for is a proud milestone for our family business.

Generation Logistics’ Bethany Windsor

“It’s quite a privilege to be able to help an organisation like BAS, who exist to research how our planet can be more sustainable. Their polar expeditions aboard the RRS Sir David Attenborough are legendary – but we strongly feel we can all contribute to green solutions in practical ways.”

Bethany Windsor, programme director at industry awareness campaign body Generation Logistics (pictured, right) added: “It is fantastic to see the Welch Group making a real difference in pioneering the use of eHGVs, and sustainably supporting a leading organisation.

“We hope that initiatives like this will become much more widespread throughout the logistics sector to provide vital support to vital organisations like BAS and help them reach their net zero targets.”