With the government laying out its Net Zero Strategy1 to decarbonise all sectors of the UK economy by 2050, fleet owners and van drivers are feeling the pressure to make the switch to EVs. In fact, Vansdirect has spotted searches for ‘how much are electric vans’ are up by 100% over the last three months, while searches for ‘best electric vans’ have increased by 24% in the same … [Read more...]
Van sales soar but drive must be with EVs
Following the best February performance in 26 years experienced by the new light commercial van market, it is positive to see that the market has continued this trend with another month of growth, said Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association commenting on the latest SMMT’s new van registration figures. "March witnessed a significant surge in fleet renewal … [Read more...]
EV van makers ‘misrepresent’ real range, says trade body
Van drivers are being misled over the true range of their new electric models, says a trade body. A better labelling system for the range of electric vans is becoming “critical to adoption”, says the Association of Fleet Professionals. The organisation first highlighted the inadequacies of the existing WLTP figures last year and, says chair Paul Hollick, this winter has only made the problem … [Read more...]
Gaps in EV sector need plugging for businesses
Fleets are starting to enter a “tougher” period of electrification in 2024, the Association of Fleet Professionals is reporting. Paul Hollick, chair, said that a number of factors were combining to potentially slow the rate at which electric vehicles were being adopted by businesses and that fleet managers needed new strategies to maintain momentum. “When it comes to electrification, so far … [Read more...]
EV vans confusion needs clarification
Ongoing confusion over regulations surrounding 4.25 tonne electric vans mean that the Association of Fleet Professionals is urging fleets to “step up” lobbying of the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles and the Driver Vehicle Standards Authority. In 2019, a special concession was created by the Department of Transport (DFT) for electric vans. Normally, an individual with a standard B licence would … [Read more...]
UK e-vans policy is crashing, say dealers
Government policy on electric vans is short-sighted and in a mess, according to the commercial vehicle division of the National Franchised Dealers Association. Last week, NFDA’s Commercial Vehicle division wrote to the Department of Transport highlighting key regulatory issues that are holding back the Electric Van market. Since 2018 the government have been aware of the need for a smooth … [Read more...]
Electric van sales in slow lane
Following the release of SMMT’s commercial vehicle statistics for May, NFDA has identified that Battery Electric Vehicle LCVs are not performing to expected volumes within the market. BEV light commercial vehicle sales only made up 5.2% of the market in the latest monthly figures. In order to spur actions from DfT, NFDA Commercial Vehicles division have sent a letter to government, outlining … [Read more...]
Tevva powers up battery backup and servicing
British electric vehicle manufacturer Tevva has entered into a strategic partnership with Ecobat, the global leader in battery recycling, for the repair, repurposing and recycling of its lithium-ion batteries. The partnership kicks off with a 12-month pilot phase for first-life battery management, with the opportunity to expand into additional energy storage and recycling solutions. In the … [Read more...]
Makers struggle with demand for electric vans, says delivery business
The boss of a city-wide delivery business says van makers have been let down with demand for electric models in Britain. Ex-Cardiff University student Tristan Thomas, CEO and co-founder of Packfleet is the Ex-VP of Marketing at Monzo, and set up the forward-thinking parcel delivery company with electrification at the forefront. He was speaking after Arrival said it's slashing 800 jobs at its … [Read more...]
Van fleets attracted to ev models
More than 90% of businesses that try out an electric van using its medium term rental product – Arval Flex EV – are opting to keep them, Arval UK is reporting. Product Manager, Glynn Hopkins, said that many were using medium term rental as a way to operate an electric van on a trial basis and the vast majority were finding them a good fit for their fleet. “There’s obviously a lot of discussion … [Read more...]