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15-year wait for grid upgrade thwarting EV fleet plans, says Logistics UK
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero says that the grid connection queue has risen tenfold leading to a 15-year delay.
Automotive trade body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), says the delays mean many commercial vehicle (CV) operators’ electric vehicle (EV) investments are blocked and will remain so even after fossil fuel vehicle sales end.
New HGVs sold in the UK must be zero emission by 2040, with a ban on new fossil-fueled vans and HGVs sales by 2035.
Around 5.1 million vans and 626,000 trucks are currently on UK roads, transporting more than 80% of all domestic freight and directly adding £13.5 billion to the economy each year.
While CVs make up 14% of all vehicles on the road, the higher mileage and energy demands of CVs mean they are responsible for more than a third of all road transport CO2 – and almost an eighth (12%) of the UK’s carbon footprint.
Replacing conventionally fuelled CVs with zero emission vehicle (ZEV) models is critical to the achievement of net zero in the UK, but this must be commercially and operationally viable.
Logistics UK's Deputy Policy Director, Michelle Gardner said: "We know from many of our members that the time and cost involved in securing a grid connection at operating sites is a significant barrier to the transition to zero tailpipe emission commercial vehicles.
"This is on top of other barriers such as a higher total operating cost, lack of infrastructure suitable for commercial vehicles and loss of payload. While our members are committed to decarbonising, government must ensure grid connections are affordable and can be delivered quickly.”
Mike Hawes, Chief Executive of the SMMT, adds: “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.
"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.
“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 ZEV mandate requires 16% of new van sales to be zero emission in 2025.
Currently, evan registrations are around 8.3% with around 167,000 more expected to reach the road over the next three years.
That would see the van market hit 25% ZEV by the end of 2027, below the mandate target of 34%.
The challenge is even steeper for the HGV sector, with ZEVs making up just 0.5% of registrations.
While grants for plug-in vans and trucks and the government’s Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme continue to incentivise the zero-emission commercial vehicle transition, the SMMT says that action is needed now to remove administrative gridlock to investment.
The government recently announced that it will fast-track grid connections for data centres, wind farms and solar power installations.
Published On: 20/05/2025 13:00:00
