New depot charging scheme to cover up to 75% of costs

Cenex and the Energy Saving Trust have been chosen to deliver the UK Government’s new depot charging scheme, which will offer fleets up to 75% off the cost of charging infrastructure. 

The £30 million fund, which was announced on Sunday (July 13), is expected to support the installation of more than 3,000 van and 200 HGV charge points.

Funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) and administered by the Government Grants Management Service (GGMS), the scheme will provide targeted financial support to assist businesses and local authorities in installing the necessary infrastructure for charging zero-emission heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), vans, and coaches.

Chris Rimmer, head of department for policy, strategy and implementation at Cenex, said: “Facilitating the deployment of quality infrastructure into depots will be a crucial step in accelerating the electrification of vans, coaches and HGVs, which are the next big challenge for transport decarbonisation.”

By promoting the installation of charging infrastructure, the Government hopes to instil confidence in the logistics sector and help British businesses transition to zero emission operations.

Nick Harvey, senior programme manager at Energy Saving Trust, said: “For many years, Energy Saving Trust has been a trusted source of expert advice and support to UK fleets on the road to decarbonisation.

“This new scheme is vital, as it directly addresses one of the main barriers: the cost of installing charging infrastructure.

“We’re proud to partner with Cenex to provide the expert guidance businesses need to reduce their emissions and lower running costs by making a confident switch to electric vehicles.”

Through the scheme, Cenex and Energy Saving Trust will collaborate to provide specialised technical support to both grant applicants and the grant administrators.

The support will include designing assessment frameworks for technical and cost-related criteria; developing evidence-based cost benchmarks for depot charging installations; and providing tailored guidance to applicants on infrastructure planning, procurement and deployment.

It will also support the Government Grants Management Service during application reviews and appeals.

Richard Smith, managing director of the Road Haulage Association (RHA), said: “We welcome this support from the Government to help operators invest in their depots, as overcoming the costs of net zero remains a significant barrier for our industry.

“Without the ability to charge at depot, we’re not going to see the introduction of electric HGVs, coaches and vans at the pace required. This funding is a welcome start, but much more needs to be done if planned net zero targets are to be met.”

The depot charging scheme grant is available to HGV, van, and coach fleet operators throughout the UK.

Eligible businesses will have the opportunity to claim reimbursement of up to 75% of the costs associated with charger procurement and installation, with a cap of £1m per applicant applicable to all sites.

The grant will remain available until the allocated funding has been exhausted or until November 28, 2025, whichever occurs first.

Adam Hall, director at Drax Electric Vehicles, says that Government investment in charging infrastructure is exactly the kind of targeted intervention businesses have been waiting for.

“Depot grants, in particular, will help unlock electrification for operators facing upfront infrastructure costs,” he added.

“We’ve worked with organisations across the UK where this kind of support can speed up implementation and reduce risk.”