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Date: March 26, 2025
Two of the UK’s largest fleet operators, Stagecoach and Gregory Group, have today published a joint blueprint for electrifying commercial vehicle depots through shared charging infrastructure. The strategy, unveiled at the Low Carbon Vehicle Show in Birmingham, proposes a "charging-as-a-service" model that could cut per-vehicle electrification costs by over 30% and reduce grid connection lead times from 18 months to six.
The partnership between a public transport giant and a logistics heavyweight marks a departure from the industry’s typical siloed approach. Stagecoach, which runs over 8,000 buses across the UK, and Gregory Group, a family-owned haulage firm with 1,200 trucks, will pilot a co-funded charging hub in the West Midlands starting in June 2025. If successful, the model could be replicated across 20+ depot sites by 2027.
“Historically, each operator has tried to build its own charging island, which drives up costs and wastes grid capacity,” said Carla Ferguson, Head of Fleet Transformation at Stagecoach. “By pooling demand and sharing infrastructure, we can make the business case for electric vehicles work for both public and private fleets.”
The blueprint addresses two critical bottlenecks: high upfront capex and slow grid connections. Under the plan, a third-party investor (likely a charge point operator or energy supplier) will finance the installation of multi-connection charging hubs. Stagecoach and Gregory will then lease charging slots on a pay-per-use basis. The shared hub will include 100 kW ultra-rapid chargers for buses and trucks, with a total capacity of 8 MW, enough to support 120 vehicles overnight.
Exclusive industry perspective
A source close to National Grid ESO, speaking on condition of anonymity, told this publication that the shared model aligns with recent regulatory changes allowing “flexible grid connections” for commercial fleets. “The traditional ‘connect and reinforce’ approach is dead. Regulators are now open to shared capacity agreements, provided operators can demonstrate load balancing,” the source said.
Additionally, UK-based consultancy Transport & Environment (T&E) estimates that if just 10% of UK bus and truck depots adopted a similar shared model by 2028, total grid connection costs for the sector would drop by £170 million. “This isn’t just a feel-good partnership; it’s a blueprint for scaling zero-emission logistics without breaking the grid,” said T&E analyst James Whitfield.
How the charging hub will work
The pilot hub will be located at a former bus depot in Coventry, leased jointly by both companies. Stagecoach will operate its electric buses from 5 a.m. to midnight, while Gregory’s delivery trucks will primarily charge between midnight and 5 a.m., ensuring maximum utilisation of the chargers. Dynamic load management software developed by startup ChargEV will adjust power distribution in real time, preventing demand spikes.
Both companies will share the cost of maintenance and grid upgrade fees proportionally. Stagecoach expects to electrify its first 200 buses by year-end using this model; Gregory plans to add 50 electric HGVs by Q1 2026.
Broader implications
The announcement comes as the UK government’s Zero Emission Vehicle mandate tightens: from 2026, 10% of new truck sales must be zero-emission, and bus operators face a complete shift by 2030. Currently, only 3% of UK commercial depots have adequate charging infrastructure, according to the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership.
The Stagecoach-Gregory model could serve as a template for other fleet pairs, such as urban waste collection and grocery delivery. “The real innovation here is not the technology but the business model,” said Mark Henderson, Professor of Sustainable Logistics at Cranfield University. “By treating charging as a shared utility, these companies are solving the classic chicken-and-egg problem of fleet electrification.”
What’s next
The two operators will open the blueprint for public comment next month and have invited other fleet owners to join a “Shared Charging Consortium.” A report detailing legal frameworks, financing options, and grid planning templates will be published in June 2025.
As of today, the UK’s charging infrastructure rollout for heavy vehicles lags far behind passenger cars. With 446 public chargers for buses and trucks nationwide—compared to over 50,000 for cars—collaborative models like this may be the only way to meet the 2030 deadline.
“We’re not competitors in the charging game,” said Gregory Group CEO Sarah Gregory. “We’re all trying to decarbonise. If we share the cost, we can all move faster.”
