Government promises support for move to zero emissions

Uptake of zero emission vans in Britain so far is lagging behind that of cars. Now the Government has said further solutions to increase sales of environmentally friendly LCVs are under development.

Speaking at the recent BVRLA ‘Fleets in Charge’ webinar, Lizzie Culwick, joint head of the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), pledged support for the sector and discussed the van-specific measures currently on offer.

Many van fleet operators are reporting barriers such as high costs, poor product availability and inaccessible infrastructure.

The zero emission vehicle mandate launching in January is expected to help drive take-up by ensuring more electric vans are brought to market. The mandate requires at least 10% of new van sales in 2024 to be on qualifying zero-emission models, with the proportion increasing every year.

During the webinar, Culwick took delegates through the mandate and how it targets a gradual acceleration of electric van fleets.

Toby Poston, BVRLA director of corporate affairs, commented:

Vans need targeted support. This is a topic on which the BVRLA has been a firm and consistent flagbearer. We led the way with our Van Plan in 2021 and will be publishing an all-new plan in 2024. That sees us collaborating with other trade associations, commercial vehicle experts and decarbonisation leaders, creating a fully rounded, actionable plan.

Earlier, the BVRLA warned that van fleets were struggling to make the zero-emission transition. The ICE ban has been moved back to 2035, but issues with finding fleet-friendly public charging infrastructure and electric vehicles that can match diesel counterparts on cost of ownership, payload and range continue to hamper the EV switch, said Poston.

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