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226 High Rd, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055 Web: www.psi-media.co.uk EDITOR Angela Pisanu EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Meghan Shaw PRODUCTION MANAGER & DESIGNER Dan Kanolik PRODUCTION DESIGNER Sophia Mew PRODUCTION CONTROL Deimante Gecionyte ADMINISTRATION Enkelejda Lleshaj WEB PRODUCTION Freya Courtney PUBLISHER George Petrou ACCOUNT MANAGER Kylie Glover © 2025 Public Sector Information Limited. No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any other means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the editorial content the publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher.ISSN 1478-7687

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Contents

Contents GREENFLEET 157 6

11

NEWS

37

35

GF100 MOST INFLUENTIAL

48

GREENFLEET AWARDS

57

52

ZEV MANDATE

62

FREIGHT DECARBONISATION

PUBLIC SECTOR

66

TECHNOLOGY

GREENFLEET Magazine

ROUNDTABLE REVIEW

ROAD TEST

www.greenfleet.net Issue 157 |

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ZEV Mandate

Standing up for the ZEV Mandate Members of Climate Group’s EV100 network are mounting a spirited defence of the ZEV Mandate in the face of intense lobbying efforts.

As the deadline for the government’s fast-track consultation approaches, Climate Group recounts the story so far The ZEV Mandate requires UK carmakers to sell a greater number of electric vehicles every year – until no more new petrol and diesel cars can be sold by 2035 at the latest. It is a bold, highly effective tool.

Labour has confirmed its commitment to the legislation and pledged to re-instate the original 2030 cut-off date – after it was moved to 2035 by then-PM Rishi Sunak.

But the Mandate has come under fierce attack again – from those it aims to push forward in their transition.

At the end of last year, a small number of carmakers launched a concerted, lastminute lobbying effort against the Mandate.

It was blamed for a wide range of related and unrelated problems – even though the industry was firmly on track of reaching the 2024 targets and every indication is that global EV sales are only going to go one way: up.

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Things came to a head when carmaker Nissan complained to the Financial Times that EV targets were pushing the car industry to “crisis point”.

As The Times started speculating about a possible relaxation of the rules, members of EV100 – a network of companies committed to electrifying their fleets, led by the non-profit Climate Group – stood ready to tell the other side of the story.

In a Guardian article, businesses including EV100 members BT Openreach, SSE and OVO, made it clear that they consider the tool vital to creating the UK’s zero-emission transport future – and, in fact, depend on the legislation to reach their own fleet electrification targets.

Clive Selley, chief executive of Openreach, said the government needed to “cut through the noise and listen to businesses who are already investing large sums in the switch” when considering the future of the Mandate.

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ZEV Mandate

As The Times started speculating about a possible relaxation of the rules, members of Climate Group’s EV100 – a network of companies committed to electrifying their fleets – stood ready to tell the other side of the story

“Don’t waver on the ZEV Mandate,” he said.

Companies across the UK have embarked on ambitious EV transitions knowing that their leadership sits within a wider framework of support. The ZEV Mandate is a key part of this: it guarantees supply and sets a clear pathway for all actors, making confident investments in new technology possible. Any change to it unsettles the entire system.

“There is absolutely no justification for tinkering with the world-leading tool that

has put the UK in the fast lane of the global EV transition,” said Dominic Phinn, head of transport at Climate Group. “Carmakers face a simple choice: scale up EV manufacturing now and seize a huge economic opportunity – or be left behind by those who do.”

The story set the agenda for the week.

Within days, pension funds and investors, including Macquarie, M&G, Aviva and Schroders, added their voice to the debate. “Chopping and changing” EV sales targets could risk investment in the UK and “damage investment confidence”, fund managers argued.

Calls from the industry Next, the charging industry rallied. “Everyone is agreed that uncertainty is the enemy of the EV transition and threatens investment on all sides,” Vicky Read, CEO of ChargeUK, said. E

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ZEV Mandate F The NGO community also came together quickly. Climate Group and others signed a letter to the transport secretary, arguing that the legislation is one of the country’s single biggest carbon saving measures, which has boosted EV supply in the UK ahead of Europe and helped bring down prices for consumers.

There are enough flexibilities built into the system for the industry to reach its targets, and contrary to the car industry’s stories, demand in the UK is strong and growing: EVs have made up over 20 per cent of new sales for several consecutive months. September, November and December saw record after record.

The day the government was due to meet with carmakers behind closed doors to discuss the ZEV Mandate, Ford landed news it was cutting 4,000 jobs in Europe, including 800 in the UK. A week later, Stellantis, the owner of Vauxhall, announced plans to close its van-making plant at Luton – a huge blow

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to 1,100 workers, whose jobs are at risk.

Once more, headlines were dominated by job losses, blamed explicitly on the ZEV Mandate, even though in Stellantis’ case many analysts pointed instead to unused factory capacity across Europe. In fact, Stellantis told investors it was “confident” it would meet the targets just two months before, according to a Guardian exclusive.

Following a meeting with the SMMT lobby group, the Government signalled a “fast-track consultation”, which might see the introduction of new flexibilities or a relaxation of the rules. It was launched on Christmas Eve and runs until mid-February.

Carmakers have since tried to strike more conciliatory notes, with Ford saying regulations could remain in place – as long as more was being done to boost consumer demand, for instance through new incentives. “We kind of need to make it work,” a company representative told the Today programme.

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ZEV Mandate

“Policymakers need to ask themselves a simple question,” Climate Group’s Dominic Phinn said. “Are they prepared to risk the incredible progress the UK has made in moving towards a cleaner, more sustainable transport system?”

What can be done?

Climate Group is asking the government to protect the ZEV Mandate at all costs – so the legislation can do its vital job of setting clear path and keeping all actors on track, while guaranteeing both the numbers and the variety of models needed by companies that have invested in the EV transition.

The group is also calling for the creation of significant new incentives for private buyers to further encourage the mass-uptake of EVs, while continuing critical support for companies, such as subsidies on e-vans.

The Climate Group is also urging the government to initiate a bold national mission around EV infrastructure, bringing together

the energy, charging, automotive, and public sector to advance the UK’s charging and grid infrastructure with the urgency required, sending the clearest possible signal that the EV transition is happening now.

As EV100 members are keeping up the pressure to protect the ZEV Mandate, it’s clearly working as intended: in January, Bloomberg reported the UK surpassing Germany to become Europe’s largest electric-car market.

About EV100 EV100 is a global initiative led by the international non-profit Climate Group, which brings together companies committed to making electric transport the new normal by 2030. Members are increasing demand, influencing policy, and driving mass roll-out – helping to make electric cars more rapidly affordable for everyone. L FURTHER INFORMATION

www.theclimategroup.org/ev100 Issue 157 |

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Public Sector

Managing a diverse “amber light” fleet How do you align a diverse public sector fleet with the goal of a net zero future? For the last few years, Martin Edgecox, fleet manager at National Highways, has been working on a solution Few people in fleet can claim a career as diverse as Martin Edgecox. From working with manufacturers, central government, trade unions and navigating the automotive supply chain, he has, in his own words, “been around the block.”

As fleet manager for National Highways, he leads a team of nine people delivering

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highly demanding services 24/7/365, heads up the organisation’s fleet strategy, chairs the government’s Office for Zero Emissions (OZEV) working group for special vehicles, and is also a board member of the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).

For the last few years, all this experience has been channelled to tackle one of the industry’s

A diverse fleet National Highways manages and maintains England’s strategic road network, covering 4,300 miles of motorways and major A roads.

Its fleet is diverse, including incident response, inspection and amber light vehicles. In line with Department for Transport (DfT) targets, it is required to arrive at any incident within 10 minutes and clear 95 per cent within an hour, leaving minimal margin for error.

Before 2019, National Highways was part of the civil service with general contract managers looking after vehicle management but as its needs evolved, so did its fleet requirements. Once the necessity for a dedicated function was realised, Edgecox was asked to build and lead the new team.

Transitioning the fleet to zero emissions has been a key part of this task. The initial target was to move 25 per cent of the car

fleet from internal combustion engines (ICE) to ultra-low emissions plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) by 2022. This goal was exceeded by 66 per cent and today, the fleet is 83 per cent PHEV and 17 per cent electric. Now, the aim is to become zero-emission by 2027.

This goal is particularly challenging for National Highways due to the demanding nature of its operations. The amber light fleet especially plays a critical role in supporting and protecting the public during incidents, breakdowns, and collisions on the strategic road network. Of the 1,300 vehicles on the fleet, 355 of them are dedicated to this purpose, operating all year around. They can be in use for up to 10 hours during an incident, carrying around 400kg of essential equipment such as road signs, cones, and safety gear, as well as a dual traffic officer crew.

Martin said: “Currently, there are limited numbers of electric vehicles that can fulfil these operational needs, making the shift to zeroemissions vehicles more challenging. In fact, for our traffic officer vehicles, we’ve asked OZEV if we can move the zero emissions deadline to 2030 rather than 2027. Simply, there isn’t a fully electric heavy-duty, all-wheel-drive SUV yet available capable of meeting our requirements.”

For this reason, the fleet is forced to adapt and make the most of what’s currently available for the general car fleet to stay on track with government targets. “Utilisation is key, and the team here is constantly reviewing this issue. It’s a major undertaking to ensure we’re maximising efficiency and return on investment because ultimately, we’re working with taxpayers’ money.

“The PHEV option currently suits us as we always have the resilience of the petrol engine as well as the short-range battery.

However, we’re constantly thinking about how to develop that and drip-feed electric vehicles into use. It’s a key challenge for us.”

Public Sector

biggest challenges – aligning a diverse public sector fleet with the goal of a net zero future.

Shifting attitudes Getting drivers on board has been very much part of the process of electrification and Edgecox says it has been an evolving journey.

The heavy-duty traffic officer fleet of vehicles used traditional 4x4 diesel vehicles like Mitsubishi Shoguns and Land Rover Discoveries until 2019. Transitioning to PHEVs was a significant shift and came with challenges.

“There was some initial resistance, but we engaged with the 1,200 traffic officers early on, holding several workshops to explain E Issue 157 |

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Public Sector F the reasons behind the decision. It’s a big culture change. For 20 years, they’ve been used to refuelling vehicles with diesel and suddenly, I’m asking them to plug in and walk away. It’s a major adjustment for them but it was ultimately embraced.

“It helped that our fleet team worked closely with drivers to ensure their input shaped the design of the PHEVs adopted, making sure they had a stake in building and refining the fleet.”

The Volvo XC90 is a good example of how the fleet team engaged with its driver community. Initially, one unit was trialled and the specification developed based on their input. Now, National Highways operates 230 and the build is the industry benchmark for blue and amber light fleets.

“Our collaborative approach ensured that we understood driver needs, as they can spend up to 10 hours a day in these vehicles, and we’re proud that police fleets now replicate my design specification. Having drivers involved and consulted will also make it easier to guide them toward the next step, which is transitioning to electric vehicles.”

Open conversations Collaboration and employee engagement are the keys to moving forward in this space, Edgecox believes and despite the

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dearth of current zero emission options, the team is tackling this complex shift head-on with a procurement policy driven by his leadership and expertise.

“We purchase around 200-300 units a year, which isn’t a significant volume for manufacturers, and we understand they’re unlikely to adjust the specifications of a 4x4 just for us. However, I take a very proactive approach to working with them. It’s an area where relationships are key and the best way to initiate meaningful dialogue. Especially, pilots are critical for us – they allow us to innovate, get involved early, and assess whether a vehicle will meet our needs.

“Right now, we’re in active conversations with several manufacturers and are passionate about driving progress, particularly in the van space. For us, it’s not just about hitting targets – it means ensuring longterm sustainability and fostering positive behaviour changes to help us become not only carbon-neutral but also carbon-efficient, including exploring hydrogen options.”

A voice for the public sector The National Highways team is also proactively collaborating with other fleet operators and organisations, leveraging collective bargaining to strengthen their purchasing

DRIVING THE SWITCH TO CLEANER FLEETS | www.greenfleet.net

power, and this is where Edgecox’s role as a board member at the AFP is valuable. He serves on the main board of 13 directors and is leader of its new public sector fleet group.

“Historically, the public sector hasn’t received much focus in fleet, so I saw an opportunity to widen the scope and bring new members into the fold. My role is to amplify the voice of public sector fleets, including central government, local authorities, councils, and major utilities. Our mission is to support these fleet managers, ensuring they have a platform to be heard. The AFP board are an outstanding team of fleet specialists, and I’m privileged to be part of the group.”

He says that the approach is really about collectivism. “At National Highways, we work closely with OZEV and the DfT, and through my position on the AFP board, we’re actively promoting the industry and helping members articulate the challenges of electrification. I’m in something of a dual role — I support operational challenges on one side and contribute to policy on the other – but that twin perspective is invaluable, and I genuinely enjoy it.”

Public sector fleets can make significant progress and stay ahead of the curve by being agile, but it all comes down to building these constructive relationships, he says.

“I’m fortunate to have an outstanding fleet team at National Highways that allows me to focus on creating links within the industry and seeking out new opportunities, which is crucial for our continued success.

“While fleet management has evolved technologically over the years, the core of the work we do remains rooted in personal and faceto-face dialogue. The sector is quite traditional in that sense and that’s a good thing, I believe.

Strong relationships are the key to developing expertise and building capacity, and I hope that approach continues for a long time.” L

The new AFP Public Sector Fleet Group The new Association of Fleet Professionals Public Sector Group launched in January 2025 and has been created in response to the need for a setting where detailed discussions can take place that cover the specific needs of these vehicle operators. Martin Edgecox explained: “Everyone working in public sector fleets faces quite specific challenges and having somewhere to share best practice and raise issues among our peers promises to be very valuable.”

The group plans to meet several times a year and any member of the AFP involved with a public sector fleet can attend on request. More details about this and joining the AFP, with membership starting at just £99, are available from administration@ theafp.co.uk or at Member Benefits – Fleet Operators - AFP.

Public Sector

National Highways manages and maintains England’s strategic road network, covering 4,300 miles. Its fleet is diverse, including incident response, inspection and amber light vehicles

Martin Edgecox, fleet manager, National Highways

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www.theafp.co.uk Issue 157 |

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