BVRLA warns over lack of interest in electric vans

It says most rental firms have added some electric vehicles (EVs) to their fleets, but they reject the idea that they can accommodate the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate’s EV thresholds of 28% of cars and 16% of vans in 2025.

The report suggests that only a tiny proportion of rental customers want battery-powered vehicles. Demand is non-existent among in-bound tourists and leisure customers and minimal among business clients, it says.

Currently, the only rental opportunities for EVs lie in supplying replacement vehicles for battery-powered cars and vans that are off the road for maintenance and repair and for the limited number of companies operating electric light commercial vehicles (eLCVs) that are looking for flexi-hire supply agreements. Neither of these categories matches the volumes stipulated by the ZEV mandate, warns the report.

Moreover, the simple economics aren’t working, says the BVRLA. The higher depreciation levels of EVs compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, dictates higher rental fees, which means customers are booking cheaper ICE cars and vans.

The cost of installing sufficient charging infrastructure at rental stations to recharge a fast turnaround fleet is prohibitively high and securing power capacity to rapid charge scores or even hundreds of vehicles is eye-wateringly expensive, it adds.

Gerry Keaney, BVRLA chief executive, said: “BVRLA members and their customers are required to maintain their leading role in meeting ambitious road transport decarbonisation targets. Those targets only ramp up and the report reiterates the sector’s need for support that matches the ambitions.”

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