Scaling up the future of fleet EV charging infrastructure—bigger, greater, larger

By Jamie Colquhoun, Horizon Energy Ventures’ EV Infrastructure Funding Specialist 

We’re now less-than 5 years from 2030, a milestone many organisations had in their sights to achieve net zero operations. 

With road transport remaining a major carbon emitting sector, businesses with large and / or energy intensive vehicle fleets are now more capable of making strides in their plans to decarbonise as technology options become increasingly commercially viable. 

While challenges remain on the path to decarbonisation, we know that for the rest of the decade, ‘scale’—bigger, greater, larger—will be the key theme in fleet EV charging to achieve targets. Here’s how we see this breaking down: 

Bigger (and more) batteries

Energy intensive and heavier vehicles by their very nature require larger batteries to maintain like for like future operations and the market is now seeing a growing number of right fit battery electric vehicle types becoming commercially viable. Take eBuses for example, by the end of 2027 it’s predicted that over 6,000 buses in the UK will be battery electric (20% of the market) but that still leaves a lion’s share to transition by 2030-2035 (with London aiming to transition its entire fleet to 9,000 eBuses by 2030 alone).  

The waste management sector is also making positive strides in transitioning to clean mobility options as councils and waste contractors are increasingly switching to electric refuse collection vehicle (eRCV) options at the next procurement cycle – especially in urban settings where routes may be shorter and flatter. 

Hot on their heels is the start of the much-needed commercial uptake for eHGVs as OEM offerings in this space come to market. In recent weeks, Amazon has announced it will introduce 130 battery electric Volvo and Mercedes Benz trucks into its UK fleet within the next 18 months. With just under half a million registered HGVs on the road, the latter half of this decade will start to see a transition of the last large volume sector of internal combustion engine vehicle groups to zero tailpipe emission alternatives. 

Finally, the journey to transition the c. 4.5m vans on our roads to battery electric alternatives will continue at pace as eVan options grow, performance improves and prices reduce. Royal Mail, the UK’s largest van fleet operator with c. 41,500 vehicles has been at the forefront of vehicle electrification since 2018 and can now boast an EV fleet of over 6,000 eVans. 

Greater capacity (and infrastructure) 

Bigger batteries, combined with larger volumes of EV fleets in general, are leading to a greater demand for power – whether in depots or en-route. With fleets of vehicles all looking to draw that power when out of operation, it means a greater electrical capacity need that will continue to apply pressure on the UK’s grid. The National Infrastructure Commission (NIC)’s report Electricity distribution networks: Creating capacity for the future says as demand for electricity is set to double by 2050, so the current pace of additional investment in the country’s electricity distribution networks must also double to meet that demand. In terms of national transmission expansion, National Grid is looking to invest £35bn in the UK system from 2026 to 2031 as part of its RIIO-T3 Business Plan, something that will be no small challenge. Finally, the OFGEM approved reformed connection process rollout from spring 2025 will hopefully speed up generation projects and increase capacity in line with demand. 

Where grid constraints are an issue, there may also be options to re-enforce locally through decentralised renewable generation and battery storage solutions (microgrids). Alternatively fleet operators may choose to explore an interim curtailed connection agreement with their DNO that should allow operators to make the most of wider grid capacity availability at off-peak times usually in exchange for a lower connection cost or faster connection time. 

And it’s not just greater capacity that’s needed from the power network – it’s needed at the individual charge point level too, as OEMs develop vehicle battery solutions that meet operating requirements to provide rapid charging. Whilst 150kW DC rapid chargers are fast becoming the go-to technology for energy intensive electric vehicles at depots, the en-route charging landscape for electric haulage is needing to consider scaling up from kilowatts to megawatts. The megawatt charging system is no longer a vision—it’s a commercial reality. Tesla is set to open a 12 x 1MW V4 Supercharger station for its semi eTrucks in Los Angeles, while Chinese and European manufacturers are already testing 1MW charging units ahead of commercial launches later this year. 

Larger CapEx 

All of the above will require a vast quantum of upfront capital expenditure (CapEx) as fleet operators look to transition at scale to electric fleet operations.  

Increased vehicle costs, additional grid connections, new electrical infrastructure, as well as requisite charge point technology and maintenance support are all new financial factors that change the landscape for longstanding diesel fleet operators. These elements add to the cost stack, influencing any business case or budget. End-to-end project costs alone to deliver a charging system that will support an electrified commercial fleet of some size can run into £millions. To give an idea of outlay and scale, a single commissioned and installed 150kW DC charge point can cost around £100,000, notwithstanding any grid capacity upgrade requirement.   

Funding the future  

We see funded solutions playing a crucial role in helping businesses accelerate their plans to decarbonise operations and scale up – in developing and implementing the infrastructure needed to support the transition to more and larger electric vehicles, whilst not drawing on existing cash reserves. 

Scaling up requires significant investment. That’s why financial solutions that ease capital intensity and provide flexible options—from finance leases to all-inclusive ‘as-a-service’ operational models—are essential. These solutions enable organisations to realise the carbon benefits of transitioning quickly, without the upfront capital burden. 

And this is where we come in…With our combined financial and commercial expertise in EV infrastructure, we offer scalable, long-term funding solutions that can cover total infrastructure programme or project costs for UK fleet operators. Fleet operators can access these solutions directly through us or via existing partners supporting their decarbonisation journey—whether engineering consultancies, system manufacturers, installers, operators, or optimisers. Our propositions are already removing financial barriers, accelerating deployments and unlocking new growth opportunities – enabling fleets to scale low-carbon technologies and achieve Net Zero faster, smarter, and more sustainably. 

Gain an understanding of the financial options available to scale-up EV fleets: