The government has confirmed £120m of funding and the removal of some prohibitive red tape relating to electric vans, taxis and motorbikes. The announcement follows the pledge made by the Chancellor in the Autumn Budget, extending the Plug-in Van Grant for another year as registrations for zero-emission vans remained flat in 2023 and 2024.
In addition to extending the Plug-in Van Grant, the government has confirmed that it is removing the requirement for additional training, currently in place for larger zero emission vans but not their petrol and diesel equivalents. Also included in the changes to how larger electric vans are treated are:
- Drivers will be allowed to tow a trailer
- Eligible vehicles expand beyond goods vans. Minibuses and campervans are now in scope and therefore have the same exemptions
- Vehicles fitted with equipment for disabled passengers can reach up to 5 tonnes.
It is worth noting that the flexibilities apply to zero emission vehicles only.
Fiscal support and removing regulatory barriers are two of the three key asks from the Zero Emission Van Plan, launched one year ago by a coalition of industry representatives. The coalition includes the BVRLA, Logistics UK, the REA and its EV forum REcharge UK, the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP), and The EV Café.
A spokesperson for the Zero Emission Van Plan, said: “Vans are the workhorses of the UK economy and growing their share of the UK vehicle parc every year. For the UK to deliver cleaner, greener road transport solutions, the van sector needs to be front of mind. It is encouraging to see policymakers starting to take the transition to zero-emission vans more seriously. Today marks a positive step forward but there remains a long way to go. Electric van registrations are far short of where they need to be, a host of regulatory barriers remain.
“We have been in constant contact with decision makers to reinforce the case for vans. The ongoing consultation, into the need for further regulatory flexibilities, presents another key milestone where we need to see positive progress. It is good to see the government taking action. Now we must make sure we accelerate further and faster.”
The Zero Emission Van Plan can be viewed online.
Members should also be aware that a further government consultation is currently open until Monday 3 March. It is seeking view on realigning regulations that currently see heavy electric vans treated as though they are trucks, including MOT testing requirements and driver hours restrictions.
The BVRLA will be formally responding to the consultation and has also created a template submission for members wishing to lend their support. Contact [email protected] to discuss further.
