The Government has just announced a £20M boost for more EV charging, but incentives and technology to create kerbside charging should be laid out in next month’s Budget, said the Association of Fleet Operators.
Chair Paul Hollick said that around 40% of potential electric vehicle users lived in properties without drives and providing them with some form of domestic charging was essential if the 2030 electrification target was to be met.
“There are some interesting ideas being pursued in this area, most notably around using street lighting as charging points, but there appears to be no overall strategy of which we are aware and it is a problem that needs solving.
“The government has done some excellent work on electrification so far and we believe they should build on this by taking some ownership of this problem. For example, they could offer support to some of the start-ups working in this area.”
The other move aiding electrification that the AFP would like to see in the Budget, Paul added, was for the government to introduce benefit-in-kind company car tax tables through to the end of the decade.
“Currently, we have tax tables up to 2024-25 and that allows us to effectively plan one replacement cycle ahead, which is useful, but we would also like to see tables through to 2029-30 created as soon as possible to look two cycles into the future.
“From a practical standpoint, this will mean that we can produce comprehensive EV adoption strategies that take us right through to the moment when petrol and diesel cars will no longer be available, tackling financial and operation concerns.”
Paul said that the AFP was also keen to see the government do more to encourage take up of mobility services by employers and their staff in the wake of the pandemic.
“This is a moment when changes in working practices prompted by coronavirus have changed habitual transport use. Many people are walking and cycling and it would be good to see this encouraged to continue into the future. For example, in the Netherlands, there are tax breaks available for those who cycle or walk to work and allowances in France covering ‘sustainable mobility’ solutions.* It would be interesting to see something similar adopted here in the Budget.”
The AFP was formed in March, 2021, from the merging of the Association of Car Fleet Operators and the Institute of Car Fleet Management. Further details can be found at www.theafp.co.uk.
* In France, up to €400 per year per employee of defined ‘sustainable mobility’ costs are exempt from income tax and social security contributions.