The Subsidy Advice Unit has published its final report advising Transport Scotland on the proposed Scottish Zero Emission Truck (ScotZET) Fund subsidy scheme.
GOV The report, dated 29 September 2026GOV, evaluates Transport Scotland's Assessment of Compliance of the proposed scheme with the requirements of the Subsidy Control Act 2022GOV. It arrived earlier than the 5 October 2026 publication date previously shown in the case timetableGOV, which now records the report as published.
The referral was treated as a Scheme of Particular Interest.GOV Under the Subsidy Control (Subsidies and Schemes of Interest or Particular Interest) Regulations 2022, a subsidy scheme is a scheme of particular interest where it allows for one or more subsidies of particular interest to be given under it. The Subsidy Advice Unit accepted Transport Scotland's request on 24 August 2026GOV and prepared its evaluation within the 30-working-day reporting period.
The ScotZET Fund as proposed would make up to £240 million availableGOV to develop the collaboration, evidence and momentum for a mass transition to zero emission Heavy Goods Vehicles, with small and medium-sized enterprises, which dominate Scotland's haulage sector, as a particular focus alongside workforce development and long-term economic growth.
Funding would be available only to consortia.GOV A consortium may combine financiers, hauliers, energy companies including charge point operators, manufacturers and others, but at a minimum must comprise one organisation providing private finance and four HGV operatorsGOV. Each HGV operator may belong to only one consortiumGOV, must operate services to, from or within ScotlandGOV, and the proposed vehicles and infrastructure must be based in Scotland for the duration of the projectGOV. Funding would be awarded by competition for a three-year period running across the 2027 to 2028 and 2029 to 2030 windowGOV, with no fixed cap on the total amount any single consortium may receiveGOV. Every application must cover both the deployment of zero emission HGVs and the supporting energy infrastructure for their operationGOV, and successful applicants must align project expenditure to Transport Scotland's funding profileGOV.
Other public funding must be declared and may not fund the same assets as the ScotZET Fund.GOV Applicants are encouraged to maximise the impact of public funding by leveraging private sector capital, working collaboratively and exploring sustainable commercial and operating models through their consortia.
The Subsidy Advice Unit's report is advice to Transport Scotland on the proposed scheme. The deadline for third-party submissions has passedGOV; the Unit shared the submissions it received with Transport Scotland together with its report, asking submitters to consent to sharing and to mark any commercially confidential parts.
Legal basis: Subsidy Control Act 2022.GOV
Consortia planning a ScotZET bid should read the SAU final report alongside Transport Scotland’s scheme terms and align the bid’s vehicles, infrastructure and expenditure profile to the published conditions before the competition opens.
