24^th March 2026

Electric vans in the UK: what’s changed — and why more businesses are reconsidering

At Euro Commercials, our van sales teams speak to operators every day — and the same concerns come up consistently when electric vans are discussed:

• Is there enough charging infrastructure?
• Are electric vans more expensive to run?
• Will the range work for my business?

These are valid questions. And for many years, they were genuine barriers.

But the reality in 2026 is very different to what it was even five years ago. Infrastructure has expanded rapidly, vehicle capability has improved, and more businesses are starting to see where electric vans fit within their operations.

This series looks at the facts behind the fears — starting with what’s actually changed across the UK.

Charging infrastructure has grown at pace

The biggest shift — and the one many businesses underestimate — is infrastructure.

The UK’s public charging network has expanded dramatically:

• As of January 2026, there are over 88,500 public EV charging points across the UK.
• That’s up from around 53,800 in 2023 and more than 73,000 in 2024, showing sustained year-on-year growth.
• The network has expanded by roughly 19% in the past year alone.

For commercial operators, speed matters as much as availability.

• There are now more than 18,000 rapid and ultra-rapid chargers across the UK.
• While these make up a smaller share of total devices, they deliver around 60% of the network’s total charging capacity.

In practical terms, that means faster turnaround times and better support for vehicles covering longer routes.

Infrastructure is evolving for real-world van use

Charging was once designed mainly around passenger vehicles. That is no longer the case.

Growth is now being driven by:

• motorway rapid-charging hubs
• depot and workplace charging installations
• urban on-street infrastructure
• destination charging at commercial sites

Ultra-rapid charging in particular has accelerated, with strong increases in high-powered 150kW+ devices supporting en-route charging for longer journeys.

For many van operators — especially those returning to base daily — depot charging can already cover most operational needs.

Adoption is being driven by operational reality

The expansion of infrastructure isn’t happening in isolation. It’s following growing demand from fleets and businesses.

Major logistics and delivery operators are already scaling electric vehicle adoption, including significant investment in electric van fleets and supporting charging infrastructure.

At the same time, manufacturers are accelerating electric van development — offering improved range, payload capability and efficiency.

For businesses, the conversation is shifting from:

“Is electric possible?”

to

“Where does electric make sense in our fleet?”

The perception gap still exists

Despite the progress, many operators are still working from outdated assumptions.

Euro Commercials van sales executives regularly hear:

• “There aren’t enough chargers.”
• “Charging takes too long.”
• “Electric vans don’t work for real operations.”

Yet the UK charging network has grown every year since 2021 and continues to scale across regions and use cases.

There are still challenges — including regional disparities and the need for continued investment — but infrastructure is no longer static. It is expanding rapidly alongside vehicle adoption.

Why businesses are reassessing electric vans

With infrastructure improving and technology evolving, electric vans are moving from early-adoption territory into mainstream fleet planning.

Key drivers include:

• growing charging availability
• improved battery range and reliability
• rising fuel and maintenance costs
• Clean Air Zone pressures
• sustainability and procurement requirements

For many organisations, diesel is no longer the automatic default. Instead, operators are beginning to assess which parts of their fleet could realistically transition.

This is exactly where conversations with our customers are now focused.

What this means for van operators today

At Euro Commercials, we’re not seeing a one-size-fits-all switch to electric.

We’re seeing:

• mixed fleets emerging
• electric vans used for urban and regional routes
• diesel retained for long-distance or specialist work
• businesses trialling electric before full rollout

Confidence is growing — not because of marketing — but because the infrastructure and vehicles are catching up with operational demands.

And that’s where the real shift is happening.

Sources & references

• Zapmap EV charging statistics (Jan 2026)
• Zapmap infrastructure growth and capacity analysis
• Zapmap 2025 annual charging insights report
• Reporting on infrastructure rollout requirements and investment challenges
• Industry adoption of electric vans and logistics fleet investment

Author: Andrea Diaz​

Next: tackling the biggest concern — charging in the real world

Infrastructure has grown significantly.

But the key question for operators remains:

What does charging actually look like day-to-day for a van business?

• where vans charge
• how long it really takes
• depot vs public charging
• what operators are experiencing on the ground

Because confidence doesn’t come from statistics alone — it comes from understanding how electric works in practice.