![Mercedes-Benz_eActros_600_(1)[1]](https://d2cohhpa0jt4tw.cloudfront.net/Pictures/274x183/8/1/8/17818_mercedesbenz_eactros_600_11_556244.jpg)
A small haulier introducing one 44-tonne electric truck could spend approximately £46,000 on its first depot charger and installation, even where the site’s existing electricity supply is sufficient. If a new grid connection is needed, the final bill could roughly double, according to Cenex.
Freight Carbon Zero asked the transport decarbonisation consultancy, which advises operators on Depot Charging Scheme applications, to examine hypothetical operations involving one, three and five electric HGVs. The calculations assume that each truck needs 350kWh once a day during a ten-hour overnight depot stay, with no nearby charging infrastructure available.
For one vehicle, Cenex recommended a 40kW DC or 50kW AC charger, assuming full compatibility between the truck and equipment. Its average 2026 costs comprise £25,000 for the charger, £15,000 for groundworks, £3,000 for project management and £3,000 for commissioning.
The resulting £46,000 estimate excludes design and grid work. Digital and payment functions could add around £1,000 per charger, while a load-management controller could cost another £10,000–£15,000.
Adding trucks does not necessarily mean multiplying that cost directly. Three vehicles could theoretically share one 120kW charger, but Cenex warned that this would create a single point of failure and require trucks to be moved during the night. It instead suggested two 50–75kW chargers where overnight shunting is possible, costing around £92,000. If each truck must remain connected to its own charger, the figure rises to £138,000.
The same trade-off applies to five trucks. Two or three shared 80–100kW chargers would cost approximately £92,000–£138,000, provided the operator could move vehicles between them. Five dedicated chargers would take the core cost to around £230,000.
Shorter charging windows change the calculation sharply. Cenex head of department Chris Rimmer confirmed that a 350kW charger capable of delivering the same 350kWh during a 60–90-minute turnaround would cost around £120,000 for the hardware alone. Adding average groundworks, project management and commissioning brings the core installation to approximately £141,000 before design and grid costs.
“In the broadest of terms, a grid connection roughly doubles the overall cost of installation,” Rimmer said, stressing that this was only a rule of thumb because every site is different.
Although charger prices have remained broadly stable as economies of scale offset inflation, Cenex said installation costs have risen significantly because of higher copper and labour costs.
The first Depot Charging Scheme window offered 70% support for eligible charger and civil costs, but excluded major items including grid connections and project management. Another window is expected to open on 28 October, although its grant rate has not yet been confirmed.
