Annex A

Executive summary of analysis and findings

This section should provide a clear concise, high-level overview of the report for SME fleet operators to grasp key findings, opportunities, risks and barriers.

Current assessment of operational activities 

This section should establish a robust baseline of current operations, including:

• Description of business model (e.g. return to base, multi drop, trunking, contract logistics)
• Operating geography (urban, regional, long distance, rural, island,)
• Typical duty cycles, shift patterns, and vehicle dwell times
• Route characteristics (average daily mileage, peak mileage days, payload profile, seasonal variability)
• Identification of operational constraints that may affect zero-emission adoption (e.g. depot layout & grid, tight delivery windows, limited depot dwell time, dispersed operation)
• Use of telematics or operational data to evidence real-world performance

Existing fleet requirements

This section should describe the current fleet and its replacement context:

• Fleet size and vehicle mix (rigid, articulated, weight classes, body types)
• Vehicle age profile and replacement cycles
• Payload and volume constraints by vehicle type
• Current fuel type(s) and emissions baseline
• Maintenance regime and in-house versus outsourced servicing
• Regulatory and compliance considerations (e.g. LEZ exposure, livestock transport restrictions)

Vehicle requirements and availability

This section should assess suitable zero-emission vehicle options:

• Identification of vehicle classes most suitable for early transition
• Identification of routes / miles that can be electrified in early transition 
• Comparison of zero-emission vehicle, including rationale
• Emissions reduced in early transition to zero-emission HGV 
• Overview of available OEM models suitable for the operator’s duty cycles
• Assessment of range, payload impact, charging/refuelling time, maintenance regime/ and operational fit
• Market availability considerations, lead times
• Known technology limitations or assumptions

Charging infrastructure requirements and local grid availability

This section should assess infrastructure needs:

• Identification of proposed charging locations such as fleet depots, shared depot or third party charging infrastructure
• Indicative charger types, locations and power levels required
• Assessment of charging windows and compatibility with operations
• High level grid capacity assessment
• Consideration of managed vs unmanaged charging approaches
• Identification of potential constraints, risks, or dependencies (e.g. landlord sites, third party control)

Analysis of fleet transition and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

This section should clearly articulate a phased transition pathway:

• Identification of vehicles and routes suitable for early adoption
• Phased transition timetable: 
  • Short term (1–3 years): low risk, high feasibility vehicles/routes
  • Medium term (3–5 years): conditional or scaling opportunities
  • Long term (5–10 years): wider fleet transition assumptions
• Explanation of assumptions used (range, charging access, costs)
• TCO comparison between ICE and zero-emission options
• Identification of key sensitivities (energy cost, capital cost, utilisation)

Assessment of how decarbonisation could be financed by the fleet

This section should be business focused and proportionate:

• Indicative capital requirements by phase
• Overview of potential funding routes considered (e.g. grants, cash purchase, lease, HP)
• Alignment with fleet’s existing procurement and risk appetite
• Consideration of grant dependency versus commercial viability
• Identification of financial risks and uncertainties (e.g. residual values, energy pricing)

Opportunities for collaboration to support fleet transition

This section should identify practical collaboration opportunities:

• Shared or third party charging infrastructure
• Collaboration with customers, landlords, or neighbouring fleets
• Participation in hubs, consortia, or shared investment models
• Opportunities to align with wider regional infrastructure development
• Benefits of collective demand aggregation or shared learning

Next Steps and Implementation

This section should translate the analysis into a clear, practical set of actions for the SME fleet operator to begin progressing decarbonisation activities. 

• Recommendations should be proportionate, time-bound, and aligned with the fleet’s operational context and risk appetite.