Is Your Business Ready for the CAZ Revolution?

Across the UK, Clean Air and Zero Emission Zones – and in the case of London, an Ultra-Low Emission Zone – are being introduced or extended in order to improve air quality in our towns and cities. While the timings for the introduction of low-emission zones vary across the UK, the Government’s plan for all authorities to meet legal emissions limits by 2024 stands. And this means it’s imperative for businesses of any size to ensure their fleet is CAZ ready – yet the reality is, with all the other economic challenges facing organisations, finding the right solution that doesn’t hit the profits is not always easy.

Earlier this year Europcar Mobility Group UK published a new whitepaper ‘Clearing the Air’: Are Fleet Managers Ready for the Clean Air Revolution? based on research of 300 fleet managers. Nearly two thirds expected between 25% and 50% of their fleet to enter a Clean Air Zone each week. And a large majority (87%) expect that Clean Air Zones will impact their business operations.

With 1 in 5 saying that cost was the main concern around their ability to move to a lower emissions vehicle fleet, the challenge is how to build and manage a fleet that meets CAZ, ZEZ and London ULEZ requirements, but is also flexible and cost-effective. And all while vehicle supply is constrained. Having the ability to manage costs and ‘flex’ fleet by using rental, short and long-term, in response to fluctuations in demand will be key.

Having access to the latest electric vehicles, without having to make long-term financial commitments, will be also crucial.

Making the Transition to Zero
The pressure is already on fleet owners to lead the charge into cleaner, greener mobility. The challenge is how to make that transition without adding complexity to business operations and employee well-being.

Before making big fleet decisions – that will have big financial implications – it makes sense to ‘test’ every aspect of zero emissions motoring and Europcar is aiming to help businesses on the journey.

Try before you buy
The most obvious route to learning how EV will work for an organisation’s mobility needs is to ‘try before you buy’. But a short test-drive, even if it's for a week or more, doesn’t really deliver the insight businesses need to understand the true impact of zero emission motoring.

Europcar is tackling this challenge with the continued addition of plug-in hybrid and full electric makes and models. And because one size doesn’t fit all, vehicles that span the majority of business motoring use cases – including vans as well as cars - are being added to give fleet managers the chance to genuinely put low and zero emission motoring to the test, all available as part of its long-term rental solutions.

Europcar is also adapting the way conventional rental operates to make the experience as easy as possible:

• Comprehensive vehicle handover and charging instructions support
• Charging cables
• Shell Recharge card and app – providing access to over 10,000 publicly accessible charge points across the UK
• The option for CO2 reporting for valuable insight into emissions reduction
   

Plus, through its partnership with Shell Recharge Solutions, Europcar is offering a range of home and workplace charging options. And it is making a significant investment in vehicle charging at the Europcar network around the UK.

Committed to green
Europcar Mobility Group UK is also demonstrating its commitment to green motoring with the implementation of electric bikes for deliveries and collections. Folding e-bikes are placed in the boot of a customer’s vehicle to be used by the Europcar delivery driver to travel to and from the customer’s address.

Providing a sustainable alternative to requiring an additional car and driver for every delivery and collection customer, this initiative not only reduces CO2 emissions but also cuts journeys and frees up staff for other customer-facing activities.  It is another step in the company’s ‘One Sustainable Fleet’ programme which aims to have 20% of its fleet low or zero emission by the end of 2024.

To find out more about how Europcar can help your business transition to zero visit www.europcar.co.uk/business, where you can also download the  ‘Clearing the Air’ whitepaper. Or call 0371 384 0140.

Data box out

• For 89% of businesses a quarter or more of their fleet need to enter a Clean Air Zone more than once a week
• Just under 30% of businesses had not calculated the potential cost for their fleet to enter a Clean Air Zone or the extended London ULEZ
• 40% said that they intend to use long-term/flexible rental as a way of increasing the number of ‘Clean Air Zone friendly’ vehicles in their fleets