Government fleet to be zero emission by 2027

The government has announced plans to bring forward the target date for the whole central government fleet of 40,000 cars and vans to be fully zero emission by 2027, three years earlier than previously planned.

In 2018, the government pledged to ensure that a quarter of central government cars are electric by 2022, and 100% by 2030.

However a Freedom of Information (FOI) request from Air Quality News to the Department for Transport (DfT) last October showed that the department had just 22 pure electric vehicles (EVs) in its fleet of more than 1,800.

The commitment from government comes as it publishes its Transport Decarbonisation plan, setting out a pathway for the whole transport sector to reach net zero by 2050.

The strategy includes the intention to phase out the sale of new diesel and petrol heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) by 2040, subject to consultation. The consultation proposes a 2035 phase out date for vehicles weighing from 3.5 to 26 tonnes and 2040 for vehicles weighing more than 26 tonnes – or earlier if a faster transition seems feasible.

The Transport decarbonisation plan also sets out how the government will improve public transport and increase support for active travel to make them the natural first choice for all who can take them – creating a net zero rail network by 2050, ensuring net zero domestic aviation emissions by 2040 and leading the transition to green shipping.