UK EV Infrastructure Accelerates: Fleets Go Electric, Charging Hits New Highs

Welcome to Net Zero News, your daily briefing on the UK’s transition to a low‑carbon future.

In recent months, the UK’s journey toward decarbonising road transport has gained rapid momentum, marked by significant milestones in electric vehicle (EV) fleet electrification and public charging infrastructure expansion.

The public charging network continues its rapid growth. Over 14,300 new charge points were installed during 2025, bringing the total installations to approximately 87,800 devices across more than 45,000 locations nationwide. This represents a 19.5% increase in just one year. The fastest expansion has been in ultra‑rapid charge points (150 kW and above), now totalling nearly 9,900 devices a 41% year‑on‑year surge. Concurrently, the number of charging hubs (sites with six or more rapid or ultra‑rapid chargers) has increased by 39%, now standing at 748. Growth has been particularly strong in the North West, East of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, all registering double‑digit percentage gains in high‑power charging. Meanwhile, on‑street and destination charging continues to dominate the network, accounting for nearly 80% of total charge points. Greater London leads in on‑street provisioning, but comparable growth around 30% year‑on‑year has been recorded across the rest of the UK as well. These figures reflect a clear and sustained effort to increase public access to charging infrastructure.

Major fleet operators are making bold strides. Transport for London (TfL) could transition half of its nearly 1,000‑vehicle engineering support fleet to electric immediately, according to analysis from Dynamon Zero planning software. That transition would require no adjustments to existing routes or schedules, provided charging infrastructure is deployed at key locations. Additionally, KeolisAmey Docklands which operates car and van fleets for London’s Docklands Light Railway is on track to fully electrify its entire support fleet by the end of 2025 four years ahead of TfL’s original target.

Retail and logistics are joining the wave. Marks & Spencer (M&S) has added 85 zero or low‑emission vehicles to its supply chain fleet, including five battery‑electric heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) operating between its distribution centre and stores across London and the South East. These HGVs are part of a government‑backed demonstration project and replace equivalent diesel models. Amazon has introduced 160 electric HGVs to its UK operations, representing the largest such delivery to date. These 40‑tonne trucks are being integrated across fulfilment, sorting and delivery networks, advancing Amazon’s ambition to reach net zero emissions by 2040.

In the freight sector, FSEW has unveiled one of Wales’s first truly low‑carbon freight hubs in Cardiff, powered entirely by renewables. The hub includes four 400 kW DC charging units (with room for expansion), managed by smart charging technology from Zenobē, and will support several electric heavy trucks, including Volvo and Mercedes‑Benz models. FSEW reached its goal of eliminating diesel vehicles before 2025 ended.

Government policy continues to shape this transition. The Department for Transport has launched a new media campaign highlighting the Electric Car Grant offering up to £3,750 off a new EV and emphasising the availability of over 87,000 public charging points as well as new plans to install 100,000 additional chargers. The campaign also promotes reforms to planning rules to facilitate cheaper home charger installations, potentially dropping charging costs to as little as 2p per mile. Meanwhile, the Chancellor announced an EV ‘pay‑per‑mile’ tax due from April 2028, expected to raise approximately £1.2 billion per year and set at about half the current petrol duty rate. Electric vans will remain exempt. A further £200 million is being allocated for public charging roll‑out, alongside 10‑year business rate relief for charge point operators.

What this means:

• EV infrastructure is scaling at pace public chargers are proliferating, with ultra‑rapid networks and hubs growing strongly, particularly outside London. Fleet operators are responding with ambitious electrification programmes backed by smart planning tools.

• Logistics and retail sectors are increasingly electrifying HGV operations. M&S and Amazon deployments demonstrate practical advances in deploying low‑carbon trucking within supply chains.

• The freight industry is achieving landmark progress with low‑carbon hubs and smart charging systems. FSEW’s Cardiff hub is a visible example of how renewable‑powered EV infrastructure can support decarbonised freight operations.

• National policies and incentives are aligning with market activity. Grants, promotional campaigns, tax changes and charging incentives continue to lower barriers for fleet electrification.

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