Fleets across the UK are switching to electric vehicles. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of electric LGVs and HGVs on UK roads increased by 31%. By the end of 2025, over 1,000 electric HGVs were registered in the UK, and 587 of these were registered in 2025 alone.
But those 587 electric trucks accounted for just 1.4% of all new HGV registrations. The pace of electrification is growing. But is it growing fast enough?
In this post we’ll take a look at a number of schemes the UK government has recently introduced to help fleets shift to electric vehicles. We’ll also look at some of the challenges some fleets may experience as they make the switch to electric.
For more information about how we can help you and your fleet, call us on 020 8290 9099 or email us at commercial.motor@anthonyjones.com.
The Challenges of Electric HGV Adoption
The two biggest barriers to electrification are:
- The total cost of ownership, including the upfront cost of the vehicle, along with the higher insurance costs.
- The logistical issues of installing reliable depot charging facilities.
Overcoming either of these barriers would require significant investments of resources. But UK fleets are currently struggling with a lot of volatility. Staff shortages remain an issue, and unrest in the Middle East is contributing to high fuel prices and potentially some supply chain troubles too.
Will this volatility force some fleets to delay, or even abandon, their electrification plans?
Government Grants and Schemes for Electric HGVs
In March 2026, the Government announced a new Zero Emissions Truck and Van grant scheme, along with an expanded depot charging scheme. This allows fleet operators to get up to £81,000 towards the costs of electric HGVs, which could amount to up to 40% of the purchase price. Fleets can also claim up to £1 million towards installing depot charging stations.
The Government is also easing certain rules in order to make life easier for any fleet that switches to electric vehicles. For example, in May 2026 the Government announced plans to remove HGV testing and tachograph requirements for electric vans weighing between 3.5 and 4.25 tonnes. This means that fleet operators could test these vehicles at standard MOT centres, rather than authorised HGV test centres.
Will there be similar schemes designed to streamline operations for electric HGVs? Potentially. In 2025 the Government announced relaxed driving licence rules for electric vans. Perhaps they’ll eventually announce less stringent HGV licence rules for electric trucks, in an attempt to boost uptake while also helping fleets address the driver shortage issue?
The Current State of the HGV Charging Network
The total number of public electric vehicle charging devices in the UK grew by 23% between 2024 and 2025. As of October 2025, there were 86,021 total public chargers, which included:
- 41,390 destination chargers
- 32,981 on-street chargers
- 8,096 enroute chargers
Plus, 17,356 of these are ≥50kW high-power chargers, which are critical for charging high capacity HGV batteries quickly and with minimal downtime.
You can read our full guide to the eHGV charging infrastructure.
Supporting Your Fleet Electrification During Trying Times
As we’ve seen, the Government is attempting to make it a lot more affordable for you to electrify your fleet, and to install charging stations at your depot.
You’ll find plenty of guides on our site to help you with some of the practicalities of electrification:
- When to replace and update your fleet vehicles
- EV adoption strategy for fleets
- EV charger installation strategy for electric fleets
- Managing the risks of electric charging points in the workplace
We also have some more general guides to help you with certain aspects of fleet management during these uncertain times:
- How to control and reduce fleet costs
- Fuel management – best practice for fleets
- How to help reduce fleet driver stress, tiredness, and fatigue
- An essential guide to fleet risk management
Tailored Support For Your Fleet From Anthony Jones
Steve Blackmore, Director at Anthony Jones says:
“Whether you’re looking to electrify your fleet, or you’re just hoping to weather the storm, our commercial motor experts are here to help with expert risk management advice. We can also help you access the specialist cover you need at the right price, and we can show you how to evidence your risk management procedures in order to make further savings on the cost of cover.”
For more information about how we can help you and your fleet, call us on 020 8290 9099 or email us at commercial.motor@anthonyjones.com.
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