Transport minister confirms plug-in truck grant extension

The Government is extending the plug-in truck grant for another year, offering fleets up to £25,000 off an electric truck.

It comes after the plug-in van grant was also extended until April 2026, with fleets able to benefit from up to £5,000 off an electric van.

Both cash incentives were due to end this April, but the transport minister, Lilian Greenwood announced on social media platform, X, today (Tuesday, April 1), that Government help towards the purchase price of a plug-in truck will continue until April 2026.

Chris Ashley, senior policy lead at the Road Haulage Association (RHA), said: “We welcome the extension of the plug-in grant for trucks for another year. However, additional financial support will be needed to help operators to decarbonise viably.

“Key to this is ensuring stable residual values that allow finance to be offered on favourable terms. We are working with the Green Finance Institute to develop options that address this.”

There are more than 20 zero emission trucks available to UK operators that qualify for the grant, which was first introduced in 2016.

However, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has previously called for the plug-in truck grant to be overhauled, with models only eligible after undertaking an approval process that it says can take around two years.

Government policy currently states that the sale of new diesel trucks weighing 26 tonnes or less will be ended from 2035 and all heavier diesel trucks by 2040.

The Department for Transport (DfT), however, has confirmed to Fleet News that it is reviewing its approach to phasing out the sale of new diesel trucks.  

It stopped short of confirming that the deadlines would be changed, but told Fleet News it is considering what regulations are appropriate “and will engage the sector on any future regulatory approach in due course”.

The fleet industry has expressed concerns about the transition to zero-emission heavy vehicles, particularly regarding the infrastructure required to support it over the next 10 to 15 years.