Electric HGVs Have a Surprising Problem: There's Not Enough Electricity

For years, the biggest questions surrounding electric lorries have focused on batteries, range and charging times.

But one UK haulier has discovered a completely different challenge, and it's not actually the truck that's causing the problem. It's the electricity supply.

As more haulage firms explore zero-emission vehicles, Fagan & Whalley has warned that grid capacity could become one of the most significant hurdles facing the electrification of heavy goods transport.

 The issue is surprisingly simple: buying an electric HGV might be straightforward, but finding enough power to charge it can be a much bigger challenge.

It's an obstacle that rarely attracts headlines, yet it could have major implications for the future of commercial transport.

When people imagine the switch to electric vehicles, they tend to focus on the vehicles themselves.

Can they travel far enough? How long do they take to charge? How much do they cost?

However, for operators running multiple heavy trucks from a single depot, another question is becoming increasingly important: Can the local electricity network actually cope?

Unlike electric cars, which typically draw relatively modest amounts of power, electric HGVs require enormous amounts of energy.

Charging a fleet of heavy trucks overnight can place a substantial demand on a depot's electricity connection.

And that's where things start to get complicated.

Traditional diesel fleets have a remarkably simple refuelling process.

Fuel is delivered. Vehicles fill up. The trucks go back to work. Electric fleets operate very differently.

Every charger, every truck and every battery places additional demand on a site's electrical infrastructure.

In some cases, operators may require substantial upgrades to local grid connections before large-scale charging becomes possible.

In effect, some transport depots are discovering they need something far closer to a mini power station than a conventional vehicle yard.

One reason the issue is taking people by surprise is because discussions around electric HGVs often focus on vehicle purchase prices.

Yet the supporting infrastructure can be equally significant.

Charging equipment, electrical upgrades, site modifications and connection improvements can all become part of the wider electrification project.

The vehicle itself may only be one component of a much larger investment.

The grid capacity issue doesn't just affect one company.

If large numbers of hauliers begin transitioning to electric fleets over the coming years, electricity demand across industrial estates, logistics parks and transport hubs could increase significantly.

Many depots were originally designed for diesel vehicles, warehouses and office facilities.

They were never intended to support dozens of high-capacity truck chargers operating simultaneously.

The haulage sector is now discovering that success depends not only on building better trucks, but also on ensuring the infrastructure behind them can support the transition.

Despite the challenge, few people in the industry view grid capacity as a reason to abandon electrification.

Instead, many see it as an early warning sign that planning needs to happen sooner rather than later.

What stories like this highlight is that the journey to net zero is not simply about replacing one type of vehicle with another.

The future may involve cleaner vehicles, quieter depots and lower emissions. But it will also require stronger electrical infrastructure, smarter energy management and significant investment behind the scenes.

In many ways, the industry's biggest challenge may not be designing electric trucks.

It may be ensuring there's enough power to keep them moving.

And that's a conversation that is likely to become increasingly important as more hauliers plug into an electric future.