IVECO & PlusAI launch new Level 4 Autonomous Driving programme in Spain

IVECO and PlusAI have announced a new programme to deploy heavy-duty trucks with Level 4 Autonomous Driving Systems in Southern Europe, working with Spanish logistics operator Sesé and the Government of Aragon. Two IVECO S-Way vehicles will be equipped with PlusAI’s SuperDrive™ “virtual driver” and begin multi-year testing in 2026, with a safety operator onboard throughout the trial period. The target use case is freight operations between Madrid and Zaragoza along an approximately 300km corridor, giving the industry a real-world test bed for long-haul autonomous capability, safety processes, and operational integration. For fleets, it’s another marker that autonomy in Europe is moving beyond closed-course demos toward supervised corridor trials with named shippers and routes.
Company: Iveco Group / IVECO • PlusAI • Sesé
Source: Iveco Group press release • Business Wire

Harris MAXUS UK defies market downturn with registrations growth as EV demand surges

Harris MAXUS UK says it grew 2025 registrations by 6% year-on-year despite a declining UK LCV market, lifting market share from 1.9% to 2.4%. The standout claim is battery-electric performance: EV van registrations up almost 90% while the wider EV van sector grew far less quickly. The statement also highlights a large fleet deal — a 750-unit Tesco order for the eDELIVER 9 — as proof-point that major operators are comfortable scaling MAXUS BEV vans operationally. The company attributes momentum to its “dual-power” approach (EV and diesel) plus a growing dealer network and aftersales investments, including technician training and remote diagnostics. For fleets, the practical takeaway is that competition in the electric van segment is intensifying, and supply, support, and whole-life costs are becoming the differentiators, not just range.
Company: MAXUS (UK)
Source: Harris MAXUS UK LinkedIn statement

Respect for Retreads: Continental backs retreading as answer to the UK’s waste tyre challenge

Continental is urging UK fleets to treat used-tyre handling as a cost-and-compliance issue, not an afterthought. Citing survey findings among UK fleets, the company argues that unclear disposal arrangements can result in retread-suitable casings being lost from the system — undermining both sustainability goals and operator economics (including potential rebates for returns). Continental positions retreading as the “foremost solution” because it effectively remanufactures the tyre for safe reuse, supports a circular approach to materials, and can be combined with regrooving to extend service life further. It also points to the scale of illegal dumping concerns, referencing clean-up activity in South Wales supported by the company, as a reputational and environmental risk for the sector. For operators, the action is straightforward: formalise carcass return/disposal arrangements, check eligibility for premium retread programmes, and ensure casing handling supports auditability and value recovery.
Company: Continental Tyres (UK)
Source: Fleet News coverage

UK road safety strategy published — what it signals for commercial fleets

The UK government has published a road safety strategy aimed at reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on Great Britain’s roads by 2035. The document sets out a direction of travel toward evidence-led interventions, including reviews of risk areas and measures focused on groups with higher casualty risk. While much of the public debate centres on private motorists, the commercial relevance is clear: heightened attention on impairment, compliance, and demonstrable safety management tends to flow through to enforcement priorities, operator expectations, and corporate duty-of-care policies. Fleet managers should anticipate closer scrutiny of driver fitness-to-drive policies, incident reporting discipline, and the use of safety technology where it materially reduces risk. This is also a good moment to re-check alcohol/drug policies, post-incident procedures, and how you evidence “safe system” management to customers and insurers.
Company: Department for Transport
Source: Road safety strategy (GOV.UK)

Plug-In Truck Grant — additional funding available for zero-emission HGV purchases

An updated funding uplift is available to support operators buying zero-emission-at-the-tailpipe HGVs (primarily battery-electric, with scope for other eligible technologies such as hydrogen fuel cell). The RHA’s briefing notes that increased support is available until the end of the 2025/26 financial year, with subsidy levels varying by vehicle weight band and capped at a proportion of upfront vehicle cost. Practically, the grant is applied at point of sale: dealers/manufacturers apply on the buyer’s behalf for eligible vehicles and pass the discount through. For operators, the operational challenge is timing — vehicle lead times and specification cycles mean fleets may need to act early to secure build slots and grant eligibility within the financial-year window. The policy takeaway is that the UK is still using targeted capex support to kick-start zero-emission HGV adoption, but fleets should not assume the same levels will continue without demonstrating demand.
Company: Road Haulage Association (RHA) • Department for Transport
Source: RHA briefing note • Plug-in truck grant (GOV.UK)

London Congestion Charge rises — new tiered discounts for electric HGVs and vans

London’s Congestion Charge has changed: the daily charge has increased, and the previous 100% Cleaner Vehicle Discount has ended. In its place is a new tiered Cleaner Vehicle Discount model for eligible electric vehicles — and crucially, the discount is tied to Auto Pay registration. Under the new structure, electric vans and HGVs receive a larger percentage discount than electric cars, meaning the daily payable amount can differ materially depending on vehicle class and payment method. The RHA also flags that discount levels are expected to reduce over time as EV numbers grow, which matters for fleets modelling the long-term business case for urban ZEV operations. Operators running (or planning) electric vans/HGVs in London should verify Auto Pay setup, eligibility, and any interactions with other TfL charging schemes to avoid surprise charges and admin churn.
Company: Transport for London
Source: RHA explainer

📅 Event & Policy Reminders — January 2026

London Congestion Charge changes (now in effect)
Why it matters: costs are up, and the EV discount mechanism has changed. For electric vans and HGVs, the discount is only applied if the vehicle is registered for Auto Pay, so compliance is administrative as well as operational. It’s worth checking your London-running vehicles are correctly configured to prevent avoidable charges. (rha.uk.net)

Plug-In Truck Grant uplift — purchasing window planning
Why it matters: the higher support is time-limited to the current financial year. If you’re considering ZEV HGV trials or first deployments, the gating factor may be build slots and lead times, not appetite. Align procurement, bodywork, and depot power planning so orders land within the grant window. (rha.uk.net)

Road Safety Strategy — consultations and enforcement direction
Why it matters: this sets the tone for enforcement and “expected practice” across the decade. Fleets should anticipate more focus on impairment controls, demonstrable safety processes, and tech-enabled risk reduction — all of which influence insurer conversations and customer audits. (GOV.UK)

Smart tachograph 2 expansion — start scoping now
Why it matters: from 1 July 2026, the requirement expands to goods vehicles over 2.5 tonnes used for international journeys for hire and reward. If you operate vans/light trucks cross-border, January is a good time to audit which vehicles fall into scope and how you’ll manage retrofits, training, and compliance reporting. (GOV.UK)

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