The UK Government is introducing a new grant scheme aimed at providing charging facilities at commercial vehicle depots.
It’s part of a £63 million package, which also includes support for electrifying NHS fleets, and funding for local authorities to provide cross-pavement charging facilities for EV drivers.
The government said the new grant scheme would: “Help businesses install charging points at depots nationwide, supporting the nation’s heavy goods vehicles, vans and coach drivers in the transition to zero emissions.”
Reacting to the announcement, Logistics UK deputy policy director Michelle Gardner said: “Logistics UK’s members, which move all the goods that the economy needs to operate effectively, will welcome today’s announcement of the depot charging scheme, which will support operators looking to install the infrastructure needed to charge electric vehicles swiftly and effectively.
“However, challenges still exist for the logistics sector on the road to decarbonisation – the public charging infrastructure for commercial vehicles is still woefully underpowered and requires an effective plan to ensure it is scaled rapidly.
“To address wider challenges with depot charging, our sector must be prioritised for grid connections with high and opaque costs being addressed. We will be maintaining close contact with government over the coming weeks to ensure that these issues are addressed at pace.”
