Analysis of Transport for London data obtained via a Freedom of Information request revealed that, despite a freeze in payments last year - from 23 March to 17 May due to the Covid-19 pandemic - businesses still spent more than £1.4 million per month to enter and operate in central London.
The vast majority of SME business owners (94%) believe UK businesses that use vehicles and wheeled assets have a responsibility to change them to electric vehicles (EVs) as soon as possible, with almost half (46%) believing this should be a priority.
Many business owners are ahead of the curve but reality is coming anyway. Governments all over the world are soon going to be putting restrictive measures in place to make sure that everybody is doing their part. Those businesses that haven’t gotten in on the sustainability act will soon be forced into it.
Fleet vehicles are often uniquely suited to V2G applications, due largely to regular and predictable usage patterns, and the fact that they often return to base at the end of the working day, where they sit idle overnight. This provides perfect conditions for V2G to utilise the energy stored in their batteries, before ensuring the vehicles are fully charged and ready for use again the next morning.
Fleet electrification is already aligned with UK climate goals. The Government had previously identified the rapid adoption of electric vehicles as the “least cost pathway” to achieving the nation’s goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
EVs come in many forms, each with a differing reliance on electricity to power their engines. These differing engine types mean that their performance and capabilities vary, therefore, it’s important to identify your driver’s needs as soon and as accurately as possible, as you are then best placed to match them with the engine type that will work specifically for them.
There are signs that fleets are moving towards electrification so what’s around, what are the benefits and what are EVs like to drive? We are running a number of vehicles over the coming months and will help provide some of the answers to those questions.
To be recognised as a ‘hybrid and EV ready’ garage a technician will have completed, as a minimum, the IMI Level 2 qualification in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Operation and Maintenance and have suitable premises.
As the UK moves towards net zero, fleets could be a crucial component in the journey by leading the charge in the electric vehicle roll-out - a move that would represent half of the number of EVs expected by 2030, according to a new report