The Sustainability Report from Europcar Mobility Group UK has found that organisations are more familiar and more confident with electric vehicles (EVs), increasingly recognising how they can fit within their business operations.
The report, ‘Electrification Reaches Operational Maturity’, explores the trends of 2025 and 2026, and aims to identify the strategic tools helping businesses to run a more efficient, affordable and future-proof fleet.
As well as adding more electric cars and vans to their fleets, 2025 saw businesses focus on optimising how these vehicles are deployed, charged and managed on a day-to-day basis to reduce downtime and optimise efficiency.
The report found that EV adoption continues to accelerate, with BEV registrations increasing 24% in 2025.
It found that public charging infrastructure also grew by 23% in 2025, and it added that lowering the cost of public charging is going to support fleets to make the transition.
Driver barriers have declined, with fewer motorists citing cost or infrastructure as obstacles to EV adoption.
Electric vans also reached viability, with 200-mile ranges and increasing payload capability, with the report saying that 2025 was the year for the eVan breakthrough.
The report also found that rental is becoming a strategic tool that supports EV trials, bridges delivery delays, and enables rapid scaling for fluctuating demand.
Tom Middleditch, head of B2B marketing and sustainability spokesperson for Europcar Mobility Group UK, said: “2025 was an important and exciting year in the journey to zero-emissions mobility, with sales of battery electric and Plug-In Hybrid models increasing and the public charging network growing significantly.
“Increased availability of vehicles with longer range has also helped adoption, driven by manufacturer investment ahead of the fast-approaching ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars.
“As EV technology matures and becomes more familiar to drivers, attitudes towards EVs are shifting.
“We have seen resistance and other barriers become less significant over time, and more businesses are making the switch to greener fleets.”
Increased suitability of electric cars and vans, coupled with the cost savings offered by charging compared to petrol and diesel, as well as BiK tax advantages, sustainability and operational efficiency are inseparable in 2026, according to Europcar.
Middleditch added: “Europcar has been supporting businesses as they make the transition to low or zero-emissions fleets for many years.
“While rental does still have a role to play in supporting fleets experiencing sudden increase in demand, our offering has evolved far beyond that.
“We work in partnership with many businesses who see rental as a strategic tool that can streamline and accelerate the transition to zero-emissions mobility.
“Replacing permanent fleets with long-term rental is becoming more common thanks to its flexibility and lack of long-term financial commitment. Electric rental is coming into its own.”
