Our Guide to Fleet EV Charging Grants & Incentives

How is the UK Government Supporting EV Fleet Transitions?

The UK government has focused much of its investment so far on public and private EV charge point infrastructure to ensure the country can cope with the inevitable demand as more drivers switch to EVs and fleet managers turn their fleets electric.

Various UK Governments have committed over £2 billion in funding to electric vehicle and infrastructure support, all under various names and guises. However, these have recently been combined and simplified. So let’s explore the support available for businesses in more detail.

Support for EV Fleet Operators and Businesses

There are currently three distinct schemes of grants and subsidies available to UK fleet operators and businesses:

• Depot Charging Scheme
• Workplace Charging Scheme
• Zero Emission Vehicle Grants

Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS)

Probably the most well-known and established grant, the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) provides financial support to businesses towards the cost of purchasing and installing workplace charge points. This makes the EV infrastructure business case even more compelling.

It was first introduced by OZEV in 2016, renewed in 2020, and in 2022 was opened up to SMEs, small accommodation businesses, commercial landlords and charities. The deadline to apply has been extended again to 31st March 2027.

How much is the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) worth?

The workplace Charging Scheme could be worth up to £20,000 to businesses, as it covers up to 75% of the costs of the purchase and installation of EV charge points (including VAT), to a maximum of:

• £500 per socket
• 40 sockets across all sites per applicant

Who is eligible for the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS)?

The WCS is open to eligible businesses, charities and public sector organisations with dedicated off-street parking facilities clearly associated with the premises. The applicant must also own or have permission from the landowner to install charge points.

For businesses, only staff or fleet vehicles can use the infrastructure, and they must be VAT registered and/or have a Companies House reference number, although alternative documentation is available for other types of organisations.

Example WCS Business Case: Corporate Workplaces With an Electric Fleet

As an authorised OZEV installer, we have supported many businesses to access the WCS. We assisted smart infrastructure solutions company, Costain through the process. Costain required a partner who could provide and install EV charging infrastructure across all its UK offices to power its 3,000-strong fleet.

Our expert associate provided advice on what the company could claim and what site power was required after a full site survey. The associate was also on hand to help with any application queries.

Costain saved approximately £12,000 on 34 sockets across four of their UK sites and reaped the benefits from installing EV charging stations.

Depot Charging Scheme (DCS)

Like the WCS, the Depot Charging Scheme (DCS) aims to support businesses transitioning to zero-emission HGVs, LCVs, and coaches. In the first window of applications, it did this by funding up to 75% of the depot charging infrastructure installation costs, up to £1m per organisation across all sites.

It is designed specifically to target heavy-duty depot infrastructure, and the funding can be used to cover the cost of:

• Hardware
• Civil engineering work
• Energy management systems
• Installation costs
• Battery energy storage when integrated with proposed charging infrastructure

The first application window was open from 25th March 2026 to 30th June 2026.

However, the second application window is set to open on 28th October 2026 and run until 29th January 2027, to be used on projects to be delivered between April 2027 and 31st March 2028.

Final terms and grant rates for the second phase of the Depot Charging Scheme have not yet been confirmed, but the Government has confirmed a total of £38m will be available to applicants.

Who is eligible for the Depot Charging Scheme?

The depot charging scheme is available to private fleets operating vans, HGVs or coaches, councils and local authorities, NHS trusts, public sector bodies, charities and non-profits with commercial vehicles. Only one application per organisation is allowed, but it can be used across several sites.

All applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be a registered UK fleet operator with at least 12 months of operating history at the time of application
• Own or lease at least one depot, and have landlord consent to install chargepoints where necessary
• Own, lease or have ordered at least one battery-electric van, HGV or coach
• Have sufficient grid capacity
• Provide evidence of quotes, financial match-funding, and senior approval
• Consent to participate in ongoing usage monitoring and evaluation, including site audits or visits
• Install the depot charging infrastructure by the agreed date

Grant funding rates will reduce over the lifetime of the programme as charging infrastructure becomes more affordable. Grant rates and future application windows will be confirmed in due course.

Zero Emissions Vehicle Grants

The Government is providing grants to cover the upfront costs of purchasing new zero-emission cars, vans, trucks, and wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Sometimes known as the Plug-In Van Grant (PIVG), vehicles are eligible as long as they produce 0g/km of CO2, and can travel at least 60 miles (96km) with zero emissions (i.e. are running on 100% electric power).

The Government is providing grants to cover the upfront costs of purchasing new zero-emission cars, vans, trucks, and wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Sometimes known as the Plug-In Van Grant (PIVG), the seller applies the discounts, which vary depending on the vehicle’s specs.

These are split into the following brackets:

Electric Car Grants (ECG)

The ECG applies to M1 passenger vehicles that meet the following criteria:

• Cost up to £37,000
• Produce 0gCO2/km at the tailpipe
• Have a minimum battery range of 100 miles (160km)
• Have a 3-year or 60,000-mile warranty, whichever is reached first
• Be powered by a battery with an 8-year or 100,000-mile warranty, whichever is reached first
• Meet minimum sustainability criteria

And could be worth up to:

• £3,750 for Band 1 cars
• £1,500 for Band 2 cars

Zero Emission Van Grant (ZEVG)

The ZEVG applies to vans that meet the following criteria:

• Be less than 2,500 kilograms (kg) gross vehicle weight (GVW)
• Produce 0gCO2/km at the tailpipe
• Be able to travel at least 96km (60 miles) without any emissions

And could be worth up to:

• £2,500 for small vans (under 2,500kg GVW)
• £5,000 for large vans (between 2,500kg and 4,250kg GVW)

Zero Emission Truck Grant (ZETG)

The ZETG varies depending on GVW of the vehicle, however they could be worth:

• £15,000 or 20%* off small trucks (between 4.25 and 12 tonnes GVW)
• £37,000 or 40%* off medium trucks (between 12 and 18 tonnes GVW)
• £52,000 or 40%* off large trucks (between 18 and 26 tonnes GVW)
• £81,000 or 40%* off heavy trucks (over 26 tonnes GVW)

*Whichever is lowest

Businesses don’t have to do anything specific to take advantage of the grants applied to electric vans and trucks. The seller does all of the paperwork and simply includes the discount on the invoice. That said, there is a limit of 1,500 grants which can be claimed per organisation, per financial year. In reality, this means all but the largest fleet operators can take full advantage of the scheme to transition their fleet to electric.

A full list of eligible zero emission vans and trucks is available on GOV.UK.