The Government’s Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate, which will set binding targets for electric car and van sales in the UK, is set for a Parliamentary vote in the coming weeks. The ambitious legislation will set the ground rules for the UK’s transition to zero-emission motoring.
Last week, the BVRLA’s Director or Corporate Affairs, Toby Poston attended the House of Lords to give the Environment and Climate Change Committee an update on the progress towards the 2030 Phase Out. The bottom line is that we have come a long way, but we have a dangerously imbalanced transition:
- Fleet EV registrations - buoyed by powerful tax incentives - are surging, while retail and rental demand for electric cars is way behind.
- People charging at home are saving money versus petrol or diesel trips, while those relying on public infrastructure are often paying a premium.
- Electric car customers have a wide range of options for almost every use case. Van operators are struggling to find any EV that can match the performance of their current diesel models.
These gaps need to be closed to hit the ambitious phase-out targets.
The session can be viewed on Parliament TV.
Members wishing to hear more about the fleet industry’s journey towards zero-emission road transport should join the association’s Fleets in Charge Conference next week.
