World EV Day took place on Thursday 29th September with the focus firmly placed on how businesses across the world will drive change in 2022, and in the years ahead. “World EV Day™ is a global movement, driving change, together. A day of celebration of emobility, and a day to shift the transition to sustainable transport with consumer, business and policy outcomes,” explains World EV Day™.
Following the extreme heat waves this summer and with more focus than ever on the devastating effects of climate change, World EV Day is the perfect opportunity to highlight the changes we can make as advances in e-mobility continue. “In 2022 we will continue to ask businesses across the world how they will #DriveChange to support the shift to emobility,” says World EV Day™.
The Clean Van Commitment
In support of World EV Day, the Energy Saving Trust has relaunched what’s called the Clean Van Commitment which is “a public pledge for fleet operators to speed up the switch to zero tailpipe emission vans and set an example for sustainable leadership.” The hope is that businesses will join in the pledge and help reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions collectively.
The use of electric vans has increased drastically in the last 12 months but is still a long way behind passenger cars. “One in 18 van registrations are categorised as an electric vehicle (EV) as opposed to one in nine passenger car registrations,” explains Commercial Fleet.
Royal Mail Leads the Way
The Royal Mail has the largest fleet in the UK by quite a way, and they have announced an impressive goal of being carbon neutral by 2050. In 2021, the company stated a 10 X increase in its use of electric vehicles and now boasts 3,300 EVs, and that by 2025 “only electric cars will be available to order across all of its company car schemes.”
Let’s hope other companies continue to follow suit and that the collective effort to reduce the carbon footprint of the fleet industry will begin to make a difference in not-so-distant future.
The Tide is Turning
In the past few years, there was some hesitation from fleet operators when it came to investing in EVs but recent surveys reveal that “35% more businesses plan to operate EVs by the end of 2022, compared to 2021.”
The technology behind EVs is developing fast and what seemed like a risky prospect for companies even a few years ago now seems like a logical next step, especially with the ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles looming.
Allianz published an article in 2021 which revealed the main reasons fleets were looking to make the switch sooner rather than later. “The main reason for switching (71%) was to ‘be greener’, while 39% said it was to ‘improve the reputation and CSR of their fleet’. Despite the financial incentives, only around 35% said they had switched for financial benefits,” revealed the article.
Fleet and Mobility Live
Huge companies such as Ocado, DPD, Euro Car Parts and Biffa will share their experience of using EVs as part of Fleet and Mobility Live which is taking place this October. The headlining sponsor of the exhibition is SMS, an EV charge point provider, and the focus of the exhibition will be on electric vehicles and the exciting changes that lay ahead for fleets and other businesses.
Electric vehicles will continue to be a hot topic in the years to come, especially as the new laws on manufacturing non-electric vehicles will come into effect in 2030. The readjustment for fleet operators will be massive, but with discussions, help, and days dedicated to all things EV, the support is in place for everyone to make the transition successfully and hopefully, without having an impact on business.
