EV Charging for Fleets: The 2026 Buyer's Guide
Last reviewed 2026-08-31 · independent guidance
Why fleet charging is its own discipline
Charging a fleet is not "home chargers, but more of them". Depot and workplace
sites hit grid-capacity limits and need load management, back-office software and
phased civils. The installer you pick has to think in diversity factors and DNO
applications, not single sockets.
Indicative costs (UK, 2026)
| Item | Typical range |
|---|
| Fast AC 7–22 kW (per socket, installed, basic workplace) | £1,200 – £3,000 |
| Rapid DC 50–100 kW (per unit) | £14,000 – £35,000 |
| Ultra-rapid 150 kW+ (per unit) | £35,000 – £80,000 |
| Groundworks / civils (per site) | £600 – £9,000+ |
| DNO / grid supply upgrade | A few hundred £ (notification) up to £50,000+ (LV reinforcement); HV new connection can run into six and seven figures |
| Charge-point management software | £10 – £50 / charger / month |
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Ranges only — itemised quotes always vary by site.
The three site types
- Depot charging — vehicles return to base; overnight smart
charging with load balancing is usually the cheapest route.
- Workplace charging — staff and visitor vehicles; eligible for the
Workplace Charging Scheme voucher.
- Destination / fleet-in-the-field — customer dwell-time or public
network reliance; the installer's job is the depot survey plus tariff strategy.
What to ask an installer before you sign
- Have they done a DNO (grid) application for a site this size before?
- Is load management included, or bolted on later at cost?
- Who owns the charge-point management software and data?
- Is the quote OZEV-grant-aware (WCS for workplace sockets and/or the 2026 Depot Charging Scheme for fleet-depot chargepoints and civils)?
Use the directory: every installer here is
OZEV-authorised for commercial work. Shortlist three, get comparable quotes.
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Frequently asked questions
- How much does commercial EV charging cost?
- Indicatively: fast AC 7–22 kW units £1,200–£3,000 each installed for basic workplace; rapid DC 50–100 kW £14,000–£35,000 per unit; ultra-rapid 150 kW+ £35,000–£80,000; plus civils (£600–£9,000+) and a possible DNO/grid upgrade — a few hundred pounds for a notification up to £50,000+ for LV reinforcement at higher power. See the costs guide for the worked examples.
- Depot, workplace or destination — what's the difference?
- Depot: vehicles return to base, overnight smart-charging with load balancing is cheapest. Workplace: staff/visitor parking, WCS-eligible. Destination: customer dwell-time charging, often part-public.
- Do I need a DNO application?
- For anything beyond a few fast chargers, usually yes. A good installer scopes the grid connection early — it's the item that most often blows budgets if discovered late.