Five months into the new Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate regime, there is little evidence of it yet igniting the LCV market, according to the Zero Emission Van Plan Coalition.
New registration figures for zero-emission vans have remained around 5% since the start of the year. Fundamental barriers are preventing adoption and need urgent attention, according to the industry coalition behind the Zero Emission Van Plan.
A spokesperson for the Zero Emission Van Plan, said: “The ZEV mandate has been introduced to stimulate supply, but demand is lagging. Electric LCVs are too expensive and struggle to cope with the operational needs of many van fleets, particularly when it comes to charging.
“The Zero Emission Van Plan is clear. For the transition to work, we need increased fiscal support, improved charging and the removal of regulatory barriers. While many fleets are making the switch and seeing early success, the majority are unable to adopt greener vehicles due to the financial and operational sacrifices that are required.”
These electric vehicle challenges, and the role Government can play in resolving them, form the basis of the Zero Emission Van Plan, which was launched in Parliament earlier this year. The coalition behind the Plan includes the BVRLA, Logistics UK, the REA and its EV forum REcharge UK, the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP), and The EV Café.
“Policymakers need to take the transition to zero-emission vans more seriously. Vans are the workhorses of the UK economy and the fastest growing part of the vehicle parc. The incoming government must do more to support electric van users,” the spokesperson concluded.
In February of this year, the Van Plan consortium surveyed more than fifty operators with a combined fleet of over 200,000 vans:
- 87% of them said the transition to zero emission vans was not on track
- 87% of them said the Plug-in Van Grant needed to be extended beyond 2024/5
- 90% of them said new grants were needed to fund the transition.
View the full Zero Emission Van Plan. Fleet operators can share their views on the transition via the Operator Experiences survey.
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