Report says vans are biggest UK polluter

In the light of this, Bedeo, a specialist in the electric mobility sector, is urging the government and its policymakers to take immediate action and acknowledge the power of electric retrofitting for large vans. Failure to do so, it says, could mean missing a critical opportunity to significantly reduce emissions while promoting a circular economy.

The McKinsey report comes at a time when UK-based battery electric LCV (eLCV) registrations are declining and diesel-powered LCV sales are rising. Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that just 5.1 per cent (10,260) of all new LCVs (<3.5t and rigids between 3.5 – 4.25t) registered this year are battery electric, which has reduced from 5.6 per cent (11,016) market share in 2023. In contrast, diesel <3.5t sales this year are still on the up, reaching 187,223. New registrations in July 2024 – over 5,000 more than last year.

Bedeo believes that high upfront costs, limited availability and perceived reductions in load space are significant barriers to buying brand-new eLCVs. However, it says its 'third way' – retrofitting an electric powertrain through its Reborn Electric programme – provides a cost-effective alternative to purchasing a new eLCV, offering electrification at a significantly lower price while preserving load space and reducing the overall CO2 emissions produced by LCVs.

Bedeo founder Osman Boyner said:

No longer can we hide from the facts – LCVs are the single biggest polluters in the logistics industry. Our reliance on them isn’t going to reduce and for good reason – LCVs are the backbone of the logistics industry. However, we need to rethink the way we power them [mainly with fossil fuels] and offer cost-effective electric versions now, and not just wait until they’re banned – that could be in 2030, 2035 or even beyond that.

Our solution is to offer retrofitting. Retrofitting electric powertrains is a pragmatic solution to achieve a faster LCV transition to net zero. The ‘TCO2’ approach, as we have coined it, combines total cost of ownership and CO2 considerations, offering a sustainable and economically viable path forward for large van fleets across the country. We have worked tirelessly to ensure that our retrofit solution ensures a lower TCO compared to investing in entirely new [large van / LCV] fleets, with operators able to realise savings on fuel and maintenance while also allowing for operational continuity – retrofitting can be accomplished with minimal downtime, ensuring that fleet operations remain uninterrupted.

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