Majority of fleet operators have EVs in place or plans to do so

A survey by Survation for the business campaign group London First has found that 30% of fleet operators have already begun using electric vehicles, while 46% have active plans to make the transition and a further 16% have begun to discuss it.

For those who have not yet made the switch, 50% think they will have transitioned within five years and a third (35%) think it will be within two years, well ahead of the ban on the sale of petrol, diesel, or hybrid cars in 2035.

However, when thinking about barriers to successfully making the switch, business leaders said that a lack of infrastructure, such as charge points, was the biggest issue (49%), with cost following close behind (45%), as well as low availability of electric vehicles, cited by a third (34%).

Adam Tyndall, Programme Director for Transport at London First, said: “Businesses are looking to the future and are ready to play their part in transforming how the nation’s vehicles run. The Government needs to set out an ambitious and targeted plan to make sure firms considering building electric vehicle infrastructure can do so with confidence.

“Getting more fleet vehicles to go green will play a key role in improving air quality and reducing carbon emissions. It’s critical that the people managing those vehicles get clarity about the rules, charge point network and support available to them as they make the jump to greener vehicles.”