Without a doubt, encouraging progress is being made in electrifying logistics fleets; LCVs are scaling fast, and compelling eHGV propositions are landing in what is, as we’ve coined it, the ‘Year of the Electric Truck’. The operators who act quickly are already carving out a competitive edge.
Yet, while vehicle technology is advancing rapidly and the total cost of ownership case is strengthening, charging infrastructure remains a bottleneck that needs to be resolved swiftly.
For many logistics businesses, the Capex required to install and maintain dedicated charging facilities can be prohibitive. Simultaneously, the pressure from customers to decarbonise supply chains is intensifying; electric fleets are fast becoming a differentiator in winning contracts, and the smart players are already electrifying the use cases that are positive and making better margins as a result. Just last week, the UK’s first all-electric parcel delivery company, HIVED, announced the expansion of their offer from middle-mile operations to long haul operations. This is an incredible commitment from a business founded less than five years ago and a great example of what can be achieved through smart planning at every level. The longer businesses wait the harder it becomes to catch up on cost and credibility.
So how do logistics operators accelerate their transition without sinking vast sums into infrastructure?
The answer is collaboration. Shared commercial-electric vehicle (EV) charging hubs – where businesses open up their depots and infrastructure to third parties – offer a huge opportunity for fleet operators to unlock efficiency and profitability gains across the board without sinking capital into assets that take years to pay back.
Firms such as Maritime Transport are already leading the charge in this space with commitments to offer third party charging sessions from a network of high-powered charging infrastructure across 13 strategic locations. Outside of logistics, many organisations, particularly in the passenger transport sector, already have significant charging infrastructure installed. For example, bus depots often feature high-capacity DC chargers to support overnight or high-turnover operations, but outside peak operating windows, much of this infrastructure sits idle.
By enabling third parties to access chargers during downtime, asset owners generate additional revenue streams and shorten the payback period on their investment, while fleet managers gain access to robust charging facilities without the need to commit major Capex upfront. Destination charging is another prime opportunity with eHGVs topping up at the point of delivery at a far lower price than public charging hubs.
Shared charging hubs also open the door to smarter and more efficient energy use. By pooling demand across multiple operators, businesses can better manage peak loads and optimise charging schedules while reducing strain on the grid. Our work with Stagecoach – combining high-power charging with solar generation and intelligent control platforms – showcases how smart charging can both cut costs and increase resilience.
When extended across multiple fleets in a shared hub model, these innovations create even greater efficiencies, supporting local energy balancing and enhancing sustainability outcomes. For logistics businesses, this results in more predictable, often lower, charging costs, higher reliability and a future-ready energy platform, giving fleet managers the confidence to move forward with their transition.
For those operating in urban environments or with dispersed depots, the prospect of upgrading grid connections or installing multiple megawatt-scale chargers is challenging. Delays for grid upgrades can stretch to years and upfront costs can be measured in the millions. Shared charging hubs sidestep that, providing local access to existing professionally managed infrastructure that eliminates the need for heavy capital outlay. This means you can pilot eHGVs now, de-risk operations, and scale as vehicle availability grows with confidence.
Electrifying logistics is not a challenge that any single business can solve in isolation. By partnering with infrastructure owners such as bus operators, logistics fleets can take meaningful steps on their journey to zero emissions, unlocking competitive advantage. In turn, infrastructure owners benefit from higher utilisation and stronger returns on their assets, while local communities benefit from reduced local emissions, cleaner air and more resilient energy systems.
The logistics sector is under increasing scrutiny to deliver on sustainability commitments, with customers and regulators alike making decisions that will have an impact on the bottom line if not addressed effectively. The vehicle technology is ready, the total cost of ownership case proven, but what remains is the infrastructure challenge.
Shared charging hubs represent a scalable, sustainable model for the future of fleet electrification, and one that can be profitable for logistics operators. By embracing B2B charging, logistics operators can accelerate their transition, strengthen their competitiveness and ensure they are making the most of the commercial opportunities available.
By Mike Nakrani, CEO at VEV