Depot Charging Scheme: a guide for fleet operators.
The Depot Charging Scheme is a Department for Transport grant towards chargers at fleet depots for battery-electric vans, HGVs and coaches. Its first window paid 70% of charge point and civil costs, up to £1 million per organisation. The next window is expected to open on 28 October 2026 and close on 29 January 2027; its grant rate is still to be confirmed. Applications are assessed first come, first served.
The scheme in brief.
- Run by
- The Department for Transport. Its technical partners for applicants are Cenex and the Energy Saving Trust. Questions: ggms_depot_cs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
- For
- Fleet depots with battery-electric vans, HGVs or coaches. Not buses, hybrids or hydrogen vehicles.
- Pays for
- Charge points of any type or speed, and the labour and materials to install and energise them, including civil and electrical works. Battery storage or solar that supports the charging, if DfT approves it.
- Doesn't pay for
- Vehicles, grid connections or capacity upgrades, planning, project management, reporting or admin, electricity, ongoing back-office data, maintenance and other running costs, marketing or consultancy.
- How much
- Window 1: 70% of eligible costs, up to £1 million per organisation (a group under common control counts as one). Window 2: not yet confirmed, and DfT says rates are likely to reduce.
- How it is decided
- First come, first served, against set criteria. One application per organisation, covering as many depots as you like.
- How it is paid
- In arrears, in three milestones, once you've paid your suppliers. Payment can take up to six weeks after a claim is validated.
- Budget
- £170 million from April 2026 to 2030. £28 million in window 1, to be spent in 2026/27, and £38 million in window 2, for 2027/28.
- Vehicles
- Not funded here. The Zero Emission Van and Truck Grant supports buying them.
Sources: GOV.UK Find a Grant: Depot Charging Scheme · DfT: Depot Charging Scheme FAQ · DfT: Grant Funding Agreement (draft)
When things happen.
- Window 1 opened
- Window 1 closed
- DfT's aim for all window 1 award decisions
- Window 2 expected to open
- Window 2 expected to close (DfT's FAQ says 31 January)
- Window 1 works and claims deadline. Window 1 grantees who share must have submitted a full pricing model
- Window 2 projects can begin
- Window 2 projects must be delivered
Sources: GOV.UK Find a Grant: Depot Charging Scheme · DfT: Depot Charging Scheme FAQ · DfT: Application Form
Every one of these.
DfT makes no exemptions: an application has to meet all of them. These are window 1's criteria.
- Your fleet includes, or will include, at least one battery-electric van, HGV or coach, and your application shows what that means for your charging
- Your organisation and its fleet have operated in the UK for at least a year
- You own or lease a UK depot: a site where your vehicles are housed, maintained and dispatched from. A lease must run at least three years
- A senior leader has approved your proposal
- You agree to monitoring and evaluation, including site visits
- You won't take other government funding for the same work
- Commercial vehicles will be the main users of the chargers
- If you share the chargers with other fleet operators, the price is based on cost recovery for at least three years
- Buses (coaches are: Class III, categories M2 and M3)
- Hybrid and hydrogen vehicles
- Chargers for dealership stock, demonstrators or servicing
- Public charging sites for on-route charging
- Work done before your Grant Funding Agreement is signed, and chargers you've already installed
Sources: GOV.UK Find a Grant: Depot Charging Scheme · DfT: Depot Charging Scheme FAQ · DfT: Overview of Application Process
What you'll need to send.
The application uses DfT's own templates; alternatives aren't accepted. Start on these before the window opens.
- An operator licence, or for van-only fleets BVRLA membership, FORS or LUK Van Excellence accreditation
- Your battery-electric vehicles: acquisition dates and VINs, lease contracts or order forms, or a letter of intent if you will order after the award
- Proof you own or lease each depot
- Any previous EV infrastructure funding, with postcodes and charger serial numbers
- Your current chargers, and the ones you propose
- Your contractors, or early market engagement with at least two suppliers
- A full budget for the project
- Evidence from your network operator (DNO) that each depot has the capacity, covering at least 75% of the planned chargers' maximum load
- Financing for at least 30% of the eligible costs
- DfT's Workbook: Depot Log, Vehicle Log, EV Charger Registry, Budget Tool and Risk Register
Sources: DfT: Depot Charging Scheme FAQ · DfT: Overview of Application Process · DfT: Application Form · DfT: Workbook
Match the chargers to how your vehicles work.
DfT asks applicants to "demonstrate how the power of the chargers will match fleet and duty cycle requirements". It expects roughly one battery-electric vehicle per charger, unless there is a reason for more chargers, such as vehicles charging at several depots, or plans to share chargers on a cost-recovery basis.
Sources: DfT: Depot Charging Scheme FAQ · DfT: Overview of Application Process
Upload your telematics export and Evata PLAN replays each vehicle's real journeys in the EVs you're considering. It recommends an EV for each vehicle and estimates what charging each of your sites needs. Use it to work out your numbers; it doesn't fill in DfT's Workbook.
See Evata PLANYou can share funded chargers, at cost recovery.
The application asks whether you intend to share your chargers with other fleet operators, how, and what fee you may charge. If you do share, the price has to be based on cost recovery for at least three years, and window 1 grantees owe DfT a full pricing model before 31 March 2027.
Questions fleets ask.
- Is the Depot Charging Scheme open now?
- Not until window 2, which DfT expects to open on 28 October 2026 and close on 29 January 2027. Window 1 closed on 30 June 2026.
- How much will window 2 pay?
- DfT hasn't confirmed it. Window 1 paid 70% of eligible costs, up to £1 million per organisation, and DfT says rates are likely to reduce over the programme.
- Does it pay for a grid connection?
- No. Grid connections and capacity upgrades aren't eligible, and you'll need evidence from your network operator that each depot has the capacity.
- Can bus operators apply?
- No. Buses are not eligible. Coaches are: Class III vehicles in categories M2 and M3.
- Can I apply in both windows?
- Yes, but not for the same depot: funding can't be awarded twice for one site.
- Can the grant pay for charging software or a managed service?
- No. Ongoing back-office data and running costs aren't eligible, and the grant can't be used to procure a long-term arrangement with a charge point operator or managed service. DfT expects the applicant to own the chargers.
- Can I share the chargers with other fleets?
- Yes, if the price is based on cost recovery for at least three years and your own commercial vehicles remain the main users.
- Who wrote this guide?
- Evata, a software company for shared depot charging and fleet planning. It isn't official guidance: we've summarised DfT's documents as they read on 2 October 2026, and linked them below.
Evata wrote this summary of the Department for Transport's published documents, as they read on 2 October 2026. It isn't official guidance: DfT's current documents and your Grant Funding Agreement are what count.
- GOV.UK Find a Grant: Depot Charging Scheme
- DfT: Depot Charging Scheme FAQ, 5 June 2026 (Word)
- DfT: Overview of Application Process, Word
- DfT: Application Form, Word
- DfT: Workbook, Excel
- DfT: Grant Funding Agreement (draft), Word
Planning an application?
Work out which vehicles can switch and what charging each depot needs, before the window opens.