Is piecemeal electrification costing fleets more than they realise? – VEV

A future-back plan helps logistics operators electrify faster, smarter and at lower cost. 

With grant funding helping to accelerate investment in zero-emission vehicles, many logistics companies are now starting or scaling electrification of their trucks and vans.

But there are broadly two ways to plan the transition: 1) a piecemeal approach, adding vehicles and infrastructure incrementally, or 2) a plan based on the future target state. One path helps minimise cost, complexity and operational risk over the long term. The other can lead to avoidable expense, duplicated investment and infrastructure that is harder to scale.

The problem with piecemeal electrification 

Adding a few electric vehicles and chargers at a time can feel like a practical way to get started. It allows operators to test the technology, respond to customer demand and make progress quickly.

But without a clear long-term plan, this piecemeal approach can create hidden costs.

• Grid connections may be sized for today’s vehicles rather than tomorrow’s fleet - leading to costly rework and capacity limitations as the fleet scales.
• Civil works may need to be repeated - adding avoidable cost and operational disruption.
• Depots may become constrained by charging layouts that were never designed for scale.
• Different charging technologies and suppliers may be introduced incrementally, creating unnecessary complexity.

For logistics fleets, this matters because electrification is rarely a single-vehicle or single-site decision. It is a network planning challenge, requiring a network-wide plan which looks to the future, not just the next 12 months.

Smarter planning can reduce the cost of electrification 

Instead of asking, “Which vehicles can we electrify next?”, the better question is: “What should the target electrified fleet look like, and how do we get there at lowest cost?”

VEV helps logistics operators define the optimal end-state solution across grid connection, chargers, vehicles, charging patterns, smart energy management and opportunities for solar or battery storage. That target state is then broken down into practical phases, so fleet owners know where to start and how to scale.

VEV has identified opportunities to reduce energy costs by up to 20% through energy optimisation and charging strategies, while cutting costly grid upgrades by as much as 70%. In one modelling example, VEV reduced the required grid connection for a 25-vehicle HGV fleet by 2.3 times, creating a projected saving of £150,000.

Test and learn to scale with confidence

Trials help fleets understand how electric vehicles perform on live routes, and the impact electrification has on operations. This gives fleet leaders the evidence they need before committing to wider investment.

VEV’s work with AV Dawson began with fleet data analysis and modelling before moving into infrastructure design, energy optimisation and a managed 40-tonne electric HGV trial at the Port of Middlesbrough.

Over 10 days, the trial completed 20 live trips, covered 1,826 km and removed 1.5 tonnes of tailpipe CO₂ emissions. It tested payload, range, charging and customer impact in real logistics operations, helping validate the business case before wider deployment.

A ‘test and learn’ approach reduces uncertainty, builds internal confidence and helps operators avoid investing in infrastructure that does not fit the realities of their fleet. Read the full report here.

Ready to plan your electrification roadmap? 

Whether you are taking your first step into zero-emission vehicles or planning the next phase of deployment, VEV can help turn ambition into a practical, costed roadmap – from insight and modelling through to trials, infrastructure and delivery.

Get in touch with us [email protected]

Author

Jonathan Carr, Consulting Director