UK Megawatt‑scale HGV Charging and Transport EV Progress Accelerate

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

The UK’s decarbonisation of road transport is surging ahead, with significant milestones in electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and heavy‑goods vehicle (HGV) electrification that mark a turning point for net‑zero transport delivery.

In the past six months, the UK public charging network saw impressive growth: by October 2025, the total number of charging devices reached 86,798 across 44,142 locations a 22 percent year‑on‑year increase with 378 of those devices being new rapid or ultra‑rapid (50 kW+) units, boosting access to high‑power charging nationwide. Ultra‑rapid charger installations soared by nearly 49 percent compared to October 2024, and the number of rapid/ultra‑rapid hubs grew to 705, up from 537 a year earlier. InstaVolt emerged as the largest operator of high‑power points, followed closely by Tesla and Osprey. Regions like Wales led growth with over 27 percent increase, while London, the South East, and West Midlands continued to host the greatest total numbers.

Earlier in 2025, the UK surpassed 100,000 public charge points an average of one new charger being installed every 13 minutes according to a report by a leading charging platform. Rapid and ultra‑rapid chargers, capable of delivering full charge in around 20 minutes, now represent nearly a quarter of the public network. This supports the government’s broader target of 300,000 public chargers by 2030 alongside the phase‑out of internal combustion engine vehicle sales.

Complementing network expansion, depot charging infrastructure is advancing. The eFREIGHT 2030 consortium has opened the UK’s first megawatt‑scale eHGV charging site at East Midlands Gateway, supporting operations for logistics giant Kuehne+Nagel. Featuring MCS‑ready HyperCharger systems capable of delivering up to 1 MW of power, vehicles can fully charge in under 30 minutes. This marks the first of a planned roll‑out of 35 depot hubs under the £200 million Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) Programme, funded by the Department for Transport and Innovate UK.

In parallel, the ZENFreight programme the UK Government’s Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator scheme has deployed its first electric HGV in service. DFDS introduced one of eight Volvo FM Electric eHGVs from its Sandhills Business Park depot in Liverpool, operating on a closed‑loop route between a Merseyside fulfilment centre and Liverpool Port. The depot is equipped with four 360 kWh charging bays, enabling the eHGV to complete three to four delivery cycles daily. The consortium, comprising industry leaders and academics, aims to demonstrate both battery‑electric and hydrogen fuel cell HGV operations to inform a scalable, data‑driven model for nationwide deployment.

Fiscal support for commercial EV transition is being bolstered. In January 2026, the Government injected an additional £18 million into the Plug‑in Truck Grant, extending to March 2026 and offering discounts up to £120,000 for large electric trucks. This supplements the existing Plug‑in Van and Truck Grants extended until April 2027, providing certainty and cost relief to hauliers and fleet operators. A forthcoming consultation on a regulatory roadmap to phase out new non‑zero‑emission HGV sales by 2040 aims to further aid long‑term planning.

What this means:
This rapid expansion of infrastructure both public and commercial signals that UK transport decarbonisation is moving from ambition to action. Growth in high‑power public charging supports all EV users, while megawatt depot hubs and live eHGV deployments indicate that zero‑emission freight is viable today. The scaled support via grants lowers upfront costs and de‑risks investment, enabling fleets and logistics operators to plan transitions confidently. Together, these combined advances chart a clear path toward net‑zero transport by 2050, and align with interim targets for electrification and emissions reduction.

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