Fleets aiming to electrify their vans and trucks are facing major setbacks due to excessive delays in grid connections, with some businesses facing delays of up to 15 years for the power upgrades required to install depot chargers.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero confirms the grid connection queue has increased tenfold in the past five years.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) warns that these delays are blocking commercial vehicle (CV) operators from investing in electric vehicles (EVs), even with fossil fuel van and HGV sales due to end in 2035 and 2040 respectively.
With vans and trucks accounting for 14% of vehicles, but over a third of road transport CO₂ emissions, transitioning to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) is vital for meeting climate goals. However, only 8.3% of new vans are currently electric – well below the 2025 mandate of 16%.
SMMT is urging government to prioritise grid reform, planning and energy cost action to ensure commercial fleets can transition and support the UK’s economic and environmental ambitions.