Data from the Rightcharge Annual Report: State of fleet charging 2026 shows the real impact of charging decisions on fleet budgets. We sat down for a live panel with Olly Craughn (Head of Sustainability, DPD) and Simon Ungless (Fleet Manager) to break down the data with real-world strategies. Here’s what leading fleets are doing and what we can learn from them.
The numbers behind charging
In 2026, data from thousands of fleet charging sessions across the Rightcharge platform revealed the true impact of charging strategy on fleet budgets.
Public charging accounts for just 27% of sessions, yet makes up 57% of total charging spend. The disparity between home and public charging costs means fleets relying on the rapid public network can spend up to three times more.
Simon Ungless mentioned, during the live panel, that one driver is paying as little as 3p per mile, charging at home on an EV tariff. Another travelling nationally and relying on rapid public charging is paying 26p per mile. This isn’t a vehicle problem, but has to do with the charging strategy.
A key way to make sense of charging costs across your fleet is to track your fleet’s average unit rate, the blended cost across all your drivers and all charging types. Across the Rightcharge platform, the average unit rate sat at 40p/kWh. Knowing your fleet's own average unit rate is the first step to reducing it.
There’s a real opportunity to reduce costs. Our friends at The AA found that by optimising their fleet’s charging strategy and moving drivers from public to home charging they can save up to £1,000 per driver, per year.
A framework for fleet charging strategy
There is no single right answer when it comes to fleet charging strategy, but there is a framework that helps. Most fleet managers think in terms of a charging hierarchy, home, depot, and public network, each with a distinct role, cost and set of trade-offs. Getting the balance right between them is where the charging strategy lives.
Home charging is typically the most cost-effective option. With home electricity rates averaging around 25p/kWh, the savings are significant. The limitations are straightforward: home charging often only works for drivers with off-street parking and the ability to install a charger.
For fleets where a portion of drivers can charge at home, the practical approach is to start there and build outwards. Olly Craughan at DPD mentioned that home charging first isn't a strategy in development; it's been the default from the start. "We've always been home first, cost and convenience," he said. The data and savings generated from those drivers provide the evidence to make the case for solving the next cohort of drivers, whether that’s depot or public.
Depot charging offers a middle ground: more control and reliability for vehicles returning to base regularly. The trade-off is infrastructure investment and the operational discipline to manage it well; depot charging decisions need to hold up as the business changes, which means planning for future operational needs, not just present ones.
Public charging is an essential part of the charging mix for high-mileage drivers and national routes. The challenge is the cost; the public network can become a significant part of the fleet budget when drivers rely on it by default rather than by necessity.
As Olly put it: “Right vehicle, right route, right purpose. There’s no point putting EVs on routes they’re going to fail. Matching the charging method to the operational reality is where fleet budgets are protected.
Summary
Charging strategy is one of the biggest levers fleets have on EV costs. The fleets keeping budgets in check are the ones matching the right charging method to the right driver. An approach across the home, depot and public can make a significant difference to the numbers.