Improvements to power grid processes are needed to deliver the charging infrastructure needed for electric commercial vehicle operation, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The organisation said that for operators to go electric, they required affordable energy, access to depot charging and access to charging facilities suitable for larger vehicles across the UK’s strategic road network.
However, it said that operators were currently facing wait times of up to 15 years for grid connections, which it described as the biggest barrier to adoption. It said that ‘fast-track’ grid connections recently announced by the government for data centres, wind farms and solar power installations should also be applied to transport depots.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “We cannot deliver net zero and improve air quality without decarbonising commercial vehicles. But if operators have to wait up to 15 years just to be able to plug them into their depots, there is no case for investment.
“Prioritising grid connections, alongside reform to planning and action on energy costs, would reduce barriers to adoption, ensuring commercial vehicles continue to carry the loads that keep our economy on the move whilst doing the heavy lifting the nation needs to reach net zero.”
