The gridlock on connections for depot charging must ease to ensure commercial fleet electrification in the path to net zero, new analysis finds.
Current grid processes mean truck and van operators may wait up to 15 years for depot charging connections – past the end of sale dates for all new non-zero-emission commercial vehicles – according to a study by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
As industry gathers today at the Birmingham NEC for the opening of the 25th Commercial Vehicle Show, the trade body has called for planning overhaul, prioritised grid connections and action on energy costs to cut carbon, improve air quality and drive economic growth.
Decarbonising commercial vehicles is crucial for delivering net zero – and switching the UK’s entire fleet to zero-emission vehicles would shrink the UK’s carbon footprint by 35.7 megatonnes; more than the total emissions of Sweden.
But deriving the full benefits of going electric requires affordable energy, access to depot charging and access to charging facilities suitable for larger vehicles across the UK’s strategic road network – and the SMMT says current grid connection processes mean many operators’ EV investments are blocked.
The Government recently announced that it will fast-track grid connections for data centres, wind farms and solar power installations.
But the UK’s CV sector says this “preferential treatment, as well as consistent and efficient implementation of local planning policy”, must also be afforded to transport depots if the UK’s net zero and air quality improvement ambitions are to be realised.
When combined with more affordable energy and a faster rollout of infrastructure across the strategic road network, this would make the case for operator investment in ZEVs unarguable, according to the SMMT.
Mike Hawes, chief executive, said: “We cannot deliver net zero and improve air quality without decarbonising commercial vehicles. But if operators have to wait up to 15 years just to be able to plug them into their depots, there is no case for investment. Prioritising grid connections, alongside reform to planning and action on energy costs, would reduce barriers to adoption, ensuring commercial vehicles continue to carry the loads that keep our economy on the move whilst doing the heavy lifting the nation needs to reach net zero.”
The latest developments in zero-emission vans and HGVs will be showcased at the CV Show 2025 from today. More than 200 exhibitors from across industry, including vehicle manufacturers, the supply chain and services and solutions providers, will be present, with more than 50 zero-emission vans and trucks on display.
