Quick Summary
- Rising diesel prices are prompting fleets to revisit the business case for electrification.
- Compare energy costs per kilometre alongside the full cost of vehicles and infrastructure.
- Charging tariffs and operating patterns determine the potential savings.
- Smart charging, solar and battery storage can work together to help manage energy costs.
- Real fleet data and a phased approach can build confidence before wider investment.
Use the price change to update the plan
A practical review can start with four steps:
- Refresh the baseline using recent diesel invoices, route mileage and actual fuel consumption. Apply the same VAT treatment to both sides of the comparison.
- Model electric operation using realistic energy consumption, electrical losses and the expected mix of depot and public charging. Check that the vehicles can meet payload, range and turnaround requirements.
- Test several price scenarios, including lower diesel prices and higher electricity prices. Include all vehicle and infrastructure costs, then assess payback over the planned ownership period.
- Identify an initial group of suitable vehicles or routes. A managed trial can provide operational evidence before the business commits to a wider rollout.
In his recent Motor Transport viewpoint, VEV CEO Mike Nakrani argued that fleet investment decisions should give greater weight to operating cost certainty and commercial resilience. The latest diesel price rise makes that assessment particularly timely.
A phased approach allows operators to act where the economics and operational fit are strongest, build experience and plan subsequent investment with better evidence. Starting that work now can also reveal charging and power requirements early enough to coordinate them with vehicle replacement plans.
What do these rising prices mean for fleets?
The sharp rise in diesel prices is giving fleet operators a reason to revisit the economics of electrification. For businesses running trucks, buses and vans, fuel costs affect daily margins and the prices they can offer customers. A change this large deserves a fresh look at the alternatives.
On 30th September 2026, the RAC reported that average UK diesel prices had reached a record 199.6p per litre. That compares with 142.38p on 28 February, an increase of almost 40% in seven months.
Across Europe, the pressure is similarly clear. In its September briefing, Transport & Environment estimated that the additional cost of road diesel consumption in the EU had reached €203 million a day. Its analysis links the pressure to disruption in refined fuel supplies, including the Middle East conflict and outages at Russian refineries.
For fleets considering electric vehicles, these developments strengthen the reason to assess both running costs and exposure to future price shocks. The outcome will depend on how each fleet buys and uses its electricity.
Compare the cost of doing the same work
A price per litre and a price per kilowatt-hour cannot be compared directly. Operators need to calculate what it costs to complete the same route, carrying the same load, using the energy each vehicle actually consumes.
Charging arrangements make a substantial difference. In July 2026, Cenex highlighted typical industrial electricity purchasing costs of around 25p/kWh, while explaining that dedicated truck charging hubs can offer different prices from conventional motorway rapid charging. Each fleet needs current quotes for its own mix of depot and public charging.
Build more control into energy costs
The International Energy Agency identifies gas prices as an important influence on European wholesale power costs. Therefore, a sound fleet plan should therefore test changes in both diesel and electricity prices.
Electric operations offer several ways to manage that exposure. Where tariffs and vehicle schedules allow, smart charging can move demand into cheaper periods while keeping vehicles ready for their next shift. Coordinating charging across the depot can also help operators work within their available grid capacity.
Solar generation can supply part of a site’s energy needs. Battery storage then helps align that supply with charging demand or shift purchased electricity between periods. Both need a site-specific assessment of costs, space and operating patterns. The opportunity is to make deliberate choices about when energy is bought, generated and used.
This makes energy planning a closer part of fleet planning. Transport teams know when vehicles must leave; energy teams understand contracts and site demand. Bringing those decisions together helps make projected savings achievable in daily operations.
VEV helps fleets develop that plan by bringing together fleet analysis, charging infrastructure and energy management. For operators reviewing their next investment, the starting point is a clear understanding of what their own fleet could save and what it would take to achieve it.
To find out more, contact us or email us ask@vev.com
