What we’ve learnt from supporting EV fleets through Round 1 of the Depot Charging Scheme

1. Start with your EV fleet depot charging strategy, not the funding

A Depot Charging Scheme grant can make a project more financially attractive, but it shouldn’t determine your electrification strategy. The best applications have a clear EV transition roadmap behind them and the funding should support a well-considered electrification plan, rather than the availability of funding dictating where and how you electrify.

That means understanding which vehicles are likely to transition, when they will do so, where they operate, how long they dwell at your depots and how much energy they will ultimately need.

2. Demonstrate your fleet depot charging project is feasible

One of the clearest lessons from Round 1 was the importance of being project-ready. Applicants may need to provide detailed information that demonstrates the proposed depot charging project is viable and ready to proceed.

That can include evidence of the site’s incoming electrical supply and existing demand, confirmation of building ownership or lease arrangements, and evidence of how the organisation intends to fund its share of the project. Applicants also need to nominate their preferred infrastructure supplier as part of the process.

Having a fully scoped project, site plans, electrical designs, equipment specifications and a realistic delivery programme, helps demonstrate that the project has moved beyond an initial ambition and is ready to progress. 

The same applies to the vehicles. Being able to demonstrate engagement with vehicle suppliers, with indicative quotes and lead times understood, helps build a much more complete picture of the full electrification project. For more information, read our EV Depot Charging Guide.

3. Do the site work early

There is a significant difference between identifying a depot where you would like to install chargers and having a site that is ready to progress.

Before an application is submitted, validate the fundamentals: the proposed charging requirement, available electrical capacity, infrastructure design and any site-specific constraints. Older buildings, planning considerations, existing electrical infrastructure and the need for additional grid capacity can all affect the scope and timescale of a project. 

Finding those things out early gives you options. Finding them out after funding has been awarded can leave you trying to solve significant infrastructure challenges against a fixed deadline.

We worked with Wren Kitchens to support their electric truck depot charging project and designed a bespoke proposal that met their needs and helped secure DCS funding. Find out how we can do the same for you by reading our Wren Kitchens Case Study.

4. Power constraints don’t necessarily rule a site out

Grid capacity remains one of the biggest challenges facing fleet electrification, particularly as fleets move towards heavier vehicles and higher-powered charging.

But being told there isn’t enough capacity available today doesn’t necessarily mean your EV fleet depot charging project has to stop. The second funding window is particularly interesting because eligible costs have been expanded to include certain energy management infrastructure.

Battery energy storage, for example, can provide additional power at times of high charging demand, potentially allowing a fleet to install more charging capacity without immediately undertaking an expensive and time-consuming grid upgrade.

For more complex sites, the answer may increasingly be a combination of charging infrastructure, intelligent energy management and storage.

5. Don’t assume submitting early means you’ll get an early decision

The scheme encourages early applications, and funding is finite. But experience from the Pilot Scheme and Round 1 showed that applications weren’t necessarily assessed or awarded in the order they were submitted. In some cases, earlier applicants were still waiting for a decision while later organisations had already received funding awards.

During the pilot, some funding decisions also arrived later than expected, making delivery deadlines tight. 

So, while applying early makes sense, don’t build your delivery programme on the assumption that an early application guarantees an early award. Instead, work with Mer to develop a robust and realistic delivery schedule.

6. The application isn’t always the end of the assessment

Another important lesson from Round 1 was the role of clarification questions.

Applicants can be asked for further evidence to support their submission, and we’ve supported customers with questions covering everything from project delivery timelines and available electrical capacity to the technical operation of proposed charging equipment.

In some cases, that meant producing additional evidence such as detailed project programmes, supplier confirmation letters and further technical explanations. If possible, ensure the people who helped develop the project proposal are available to support the application afterwards, particularly when technical questions arise.

7. Some of the hardest information to provide isn’t technical

The application itself isn’t necessarily complicated, but some of the evidence needed to support it can take time to find.

Alongside the technical information, applicants may need to provide evidence of building ownership or lease arrangements, demonstrate how they will fund their share of the project and show that they are actively engaged with vehicle suppliers. In previous rounds, applicants have also been asked to provide financial evidence such as bank statements.

That can mean bringing together information held across fleet, property, finance, procurement and other parts of the business. During Round 1, we learnt the importance of involving the wider organisation early, identifying what evidence you’re likely to need and who is responsible for providing and approving it.

8. Funding can help turn an electrification plan into an approved project

Another interesting lesson from Round 1 wasn’t about the application process, but rather the role funding could play inside the applicant’s business.

Fleet electrification often requires significant upfront investment and, even where the operational case for transitioning to EVs is understood, securing internal approval for the infrastructure can be challenging. The Depot Charging Scheme can change that conversation, and with Government funding contributing towards eligible infrastructure costs, fleet teams aren’t asking the business to carry the full investment themselves.

But we also learnt that funding doesn’t replace the need for a strong internal business case. Applicants still need to understand their own contribution, be able to demonstrate how it will be funded and have the necessary internal commitment to proceed with the project if funding is awarded.