BEDEO, a leader in fleet electrification and retrofit technology, has warned that current UK Government policy is falling short in addressing the net zero transition for the large van sector, after new data showed electric van adoption remains significantly below targets.
According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), 90.5% of vans across Europe still run on diesel, with the UK showing an even higher penetration at 94%.
BEDEO pointed to official Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) figures showing that only 5.7% of new van registrations in 2024 were zero-emission, falling well short of the 10% Zero Emission Van (ZEV) mandate.
In March 2025, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for just 8.2% of market share, with only 318 large BEV vans (3.5–4.25t) sold that month.
Osman Boyner, founder and CEO of BEDEO, said: “Van fleet operators need real options – not just the choice between new large electric vans or nothing. Retrofitting extends the lifespan of existing large vans, keeps businesses moving, and drastically reduces emissions without breaking the bank. Not to mention that it [retrofitting] does all this without impacting payload, which we know is a real problem for managers of large van fleets.”
BEDEO argues that the lack of retrofit-friendly policy is holding back emissions progress. With van mileage reaching 58.7 billion miles in 2024 and vans accounting for 18% of all vehicle miles in the UK, Boyner says the government’s current strategy risks allowing polluting diesel vans to remain on the road well beyond 2040.
He added: “It’s time for our UK Government to support real-world solutions instead of ignoring the practical challenges large van fleets face. I fear we’ll look back and wish we had taken action today, and looked at a viable solution that’s available today – retrofitting – and not ignoring its ability to decarbonise.”
Retrofitting, already supported by government incentives in countries like France, is up to 50% cheaper than buying a new electric van and avoids unnecessary scrappage.
However, BEDEO says the UK government’s continued focus on new vehicle sales and its resistance to endorsing retrofit solutions is a missed opportunity.
The organisation warned that diesel van registrations rose 10.5% across the EU last year, a sign that fleets are doubling down on diesel ahead of looming regulatory deadlines – further embedding long-term emissions.
BEDEO is now calling on policymakers to support practical, scalable fleet decarbonisation solutions. It says retrofitting can play a critical role in bridging the gap between net zero goals and the on-the-ground realities faced by businesses.
