The government has announced a fund to support businesses across the UK roll out electric vans and trucks with £1 billion of funding.

It says the Zero Emissions Truck and Van grants and the Depot Charging Scheme (DCS) “aim to tackle two of the biggest barriers to businesses making the switch – upfront costs and access to charging”.

The Department for Transport, Office for Zero Emission Vehicles says fuel price uncertainty is challenging for businesses, and these grants “will support industry to switch to electric, helping to reduce exposure to fuel price uncertainty”.

The truck grant will offer savings of up to £81,000 off the heaviest zero emissions trucks, covering up to 40% of the cost. The van grant will continue to offer discounts of up to £5,000 off the cost of electric vans.

It says on top of that, businesses and public authorities could save up to £1 million, covering up to 70% of the cost, when installing charging infrastructure for vans, coaches, and eHGVs, thanks to a £170 million boost to the government’s Depot Charging Scheme.

Michael Braybook, Managing Director at Zaptec UK, reacted by saying: “Today’s £1 billion commitment from the UK Government is a decisive step towards tackling two of the biggest barriers facing fleet electrification: upfront costs and access to reliable charging infrastructure. By supporting both zero-emission vehicles and depot charging, this package gives businesses the confidence to accelerate their transition while protecting themselves from volatile fuel prices.

“At Zaptec, we see first-hand how scalable, cost-efficient charging at depots can unlock electrification at pace. The focus now must be on speed and simplicity of delivery.”

Russell Olive, UK Director at vaylens commented: “This is a package that reflects how businesses actually start the switch to electric – by tackling vehicle costs and depot charging together.

“But even with this backing in place, the real challenge is making electrification work in real time. Installing chargers and buying vehicles is only the starting point.

“What also matters is understanding how vehicles are actually used, how charging demand builds across the depot and wider network, how costs fluctuate, and how to manage all of that in practice.

“Without that visibility, there’s a risk that infrastructure and vehicles won’t align with operational needs, which could end up slowing progress.”

(File picture courtesy of Caerphilly Council)