The idea of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) delivering with precision and efficiency, while reducing costs and improving safety, certainly sounds promising. However, there’s a catch: the power required to charge such a fleet.

Exploring the benefits

The UK Government’s Automated Vehicles Act 2024 signals a clear intent to embrace AV technology. Logistics companies like DHL are already exploring how autonomous HGVs could transform operations by speeding up delivery times and reducing accident risks. For third-party and last-mile logistics, AVs could revolutionise motorway transport, leaving human drivers to handle the final leg of the journey, as HGVs would find it harder to navigate through urban areas with narrow roads and low bridges.

The power puzzle

While this all sounds good in practice, the reality is that AVs use complex technology that requires a considerable amount of power. MIT research suggests an autonomous lorry cruising at 50 miles per hour consumes around 0.188 MVA per hour and runs for six hours on a full charge. If we scale this up to a fleet of 100 vehicles, you’re looking at 63,000 kWh daily. Charging in blocks of 25 vehicles would demand at least 3 MVA – the same power needed to keep a small hospital running.

Are warehouses ready?

Currently, only 6.2% of UK industrial and logistics units have an electrical incoming supply capacity of 3 MVA or more – the equivalent of just 19 units nationwide. So, for occupiers to consider an automated fleet, the amount of power currently being provided to industrial units will need to significantly increase. Developers are responding by installing passive ducts for future charging infrastructure and prioritising sites near major highways. Encouragingly, 15% of speculative builds under construction will offer sufficient capacity, but options remain limited for occupiers planning large AV fleets, and the likelihood of long lead times for significant power upgrades are well-documented.

The amount of available supply in each power bracket 

Lessons from abroad

While the use of AVs is currently not widespread, China is already on the move. Companies like Inceptio Technology operate autonomous heavy-duty trucks on public highways, with the automatic systems handling over 90% of the journey. This ultimately reduces labour costs, fuel consumption and improves driver satisfaction. Global brands like Budweiser and Nestlé are on board, proving that the model can work.

The road ahead

Following approval by the UK Government, the use of autonomous HGVs could become a reality here in the UK within the next few years, but with an increase in the amount of power demanded from data centres, power infrastructure remains the main road block. For occupiers and developers, the question isn’t if AVs will arrive, it’s how fast can we power them? 

Further information

Contact Kiran Bhalla and Matthew King

Read our Big Shed Briefing 2026, which examines the UK logistics market for units over 100,000 sq ft.