Research conducted by Arval as part of its Fleet and Mobility Observatory found that adjusting to the end of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles is the biggest upcoming challenge for fleets.
38% of fleets surveyed said adapting to less restrictive public policies on ICE vehicles will be an issue over the next three years.
The figure is up from 2025, when 32% said adjusting to the end of ICE was an upcoming challenge in fleet.
Fleets also said that mitigating total cost ownership (TCO) increases was an issue (35%), while 33% said that implementing electric vehicles (EVs) was an issue.
Other challenges cited by fleets included adapting to low emissions zones (33%), inducing more responsible driving (29%), managing longer vehicle delivery times (25%) and implementing other mobility solutions.
Arval surveyed 105 fleet decision makers in the UK, but found that the shifts in priority mirrored those of fleets surveyed across the 14 other European countries it conducted the survey in.
John Peters, head of Arval Mobility Observatory in the UK, said: “As the UK’s 2030 ICE production end date for cars looms, fleets are becoming more and more aware of its implications, as well as the growing effect of the Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate.
“It’s no real surprise to see this area rising up the fleet agenda and it may well further grow in importance in future research.
“Interestingly, there is a long list of subjects that our research suggests fleet managers are now viewing with reduced urgency.
“For example, last year’s highest ranked factor – mitigating increases in the total cost of ownership – has dropped from 48% to 35% year-on-year, implementing EVs from 46% to 33%, and inducing more responsible driving from 39% to 29%.
“There is no doubt that decision makers continue to view these as core concerns – whole life costs, driver safety and electrification are all crucial to fleet management in 2026 – but there does appear to have been a reshuffling of priorities and perhaps a general fall in overall anxiety.
“It may be that, with the pandemic and its many fleet issues now starting to recede into the past, fleet managers are just a little less worried generally.
“Relative to recent years, the situation may feel under greater control.
“None of these are becoming less important to fleet managers but also, they’re not developing into bigger concerns.
“There is a sense of increased stability.
“As with other major fleet developments in Arval Fleet and Mobility Observatory Barometer, trends across borders appear to be highly consistent.”
