Electric Vehicle Special
Final thoughts Dean Hedger It’s clear that there is a long way to go before universal adoption of alternative fuelled vehicles (AFVs) can be achieved. Batteries, range, payload and charging infrastructure are just a few of the areas which will need to develop significantly to ensure widespread AFV usage. While there are more models coming to market over the next 24 months, the availability of batteries remains a key challenge. We’ve called for UK investment in gigafactories to keep up with demand and improve supply of batteries. It would be good to see bold steps being taken in this area.
“Further awareness is required around the Whole Life Cost (WLC) equation, including the cost of implementation. More information in this area which goes beyond the upfront investment cost will help fleet managers and business owners to make informed decisions about investing in new technology over the total cost of a vehicle’s working life.” Net zero In June 2019, the UK became the first major economy in the world to commit to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. As transport is a major emitter of CO2 and other air pollutants, fleet and transport operators will be expected to transition to net zero operations. But is this an unfair expectation on the sector? Lee Brown believes that we need to have a target to aim for – otherwise there will be no focus. He says: “In my mind, if it drives the UK towards a zero emission future, whether it happens precisely by that date or not is not the issue. It’s more important that we change the negative impact we have been having on our planet and only by setting deadlines will that be given any chance of happening. “If you narrow this deadline down for vehicle fleets, most companies work to a three year replacement cycle. It basically begs the question, therefore, as to whether a company can move its fleet to zero emissions during its next 10 order cycles over a 30 year period. “With the rate at which fleets are now looking proactively at EVs, and ordering them, and the speed at which technology is moving I see no reason why this cannot be achieved in the car sector. “To put technological advances in perspective, the first iPhone was only launched 13 years ago. This triggered a global shift of how we live through our Smart phones and Apps. Technology is moving at a blistering pace, and I find it hard to believe that EVs and the technology to support zero emission travel won’t be ready well in advance of 2050.” A clearer roadmap is needed for fleets to become net zero in their operations, says
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Dean Hedger: “We have consistently called for a phased plan which provides fleets and businesses with the incentives to switch to zero emissions vehicles. If we want to see widescale adoption of zero emission alternatives, we need to provide fleet managers and businesses with a forward-looking roadmap that delivers clarity and plenty of carrots rather than sticks to help them make the change. “There is a big risk for the next few years that operators will decide to hang on to older vehicles longer than they should because they’re cost effective, convenient and fit-forpurpose electric options aren’t at scale yet. We may see the age profile of fleets going up because like-for-like alternatives aren’t available in a cleaner fuel derivative. “To avoid unnecessary business disruption, organisations need genuine choice so they can pick the vehicles and powertrains which are fit for purpose for their individual needs. Integrated transport policies must also provide clarity about what is coming down the track.” Gill Nowell highlights the dilemma facing government between climate targets and the economy. “There is a need to reduce carbon and related emissions to reduce air pollution and to ensure the UK’s compliance with the commitment to Net-Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. On the other hand, Government also needs to consider the concerns of the motor industry and its employees and current non-EV drivers. However, as underlined by the ‘The Road to Zero’, transport greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by only two per cent since 1990 despite all the Government’s initiatives to date, set against the Government’s commitment to achieving net-zero by 2050. “A reconciliation of the environmental and economic issues is, therefore, imperative. Against the backdrop of battery technology development that is advancing apace, costs reducing and range increasing rapidly, I have no doubt that fleets will be have the options available to them such that they will be able to operate within net zero emissions by 2050.” L
DRIVING THE SWITCH TO CLEANER COMMERCIAL FLEETS | www.greenfleet.net/commercial
Lee Brown The leasing sector contributes towards a huge proportion of new vehicle registrations in the UK market and, if I was in Government, I would put incentives in place which reward those leasing companies that place orders for EVs so that they, in turn, encourage their customers to move to zero emission fleets. Looking at Grosvenor’s latest order bank stats, EVs and hybrids make up over 50 per cent of our car order intake at the moment and I firmly believe that this is down to the advice, support and guidance we have given to our customers over the last three or four years, and the work we have been doing developing low emission policies for them. Gill Nowell The benefit in kind tax advantages available for company car users has been, and is, a huge boost for EV uptake. This is exactly the kind of materially effective incentive that should be sustained by Government. Underpinning such incentives needs to be reliable and accessible information on EVs and associated charging options. Electric cars should be seen as the ‘go to’ option for fleets and company car users, as well as domestic drivers. Publicly available charging. infrastructure needs to continue to grow - payment options need to be streamlined, personal safety for those charging at night in remote locations, accessibility and reliability are key priorities that are and should remain at the forefront of both Government and industry agendas.
