The latest survey of fleet managers by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) was released on the 22nd May in partnership with Go Ultra Low, the government institution aimed at increasing information available on electric vehicles. The survey covered 500 key fleet managers in the UK who are responsible for running a variety of vehicle fleets, from a handful of vans to hundreds of company cars. Its aim was to gain a better understanding of the current make-up of company fleets and also the intentions of companies moving forward. The fleet sector contributed over 50% of last year’s 2.3 million vehicles registrations in the UK and is considered to be a key factor in electric vehicle adoption.
That said, the survey results offer very positive reading. 90% of fleet manager’s feel positively about the idea of driving and owning an electric company car and 70% intend to purchase an electric vehicle within the next two years. Moreover, a third of fleet managers expect to have converted more than half of their fleet to electric by 2025.
The biggest driver of this demand for electric vehicles is the recent change to benefit-in-kind taxation which has created a much greater interest in company cars for those who previously considered them unaffordable. Despite this, almost a third of those surveyed were not aware of these fiscal changes which suggests other factors are at play. It is believed that companies are being encouraged to consider their environmental impact by consumers who are taking more interest in the impact of the goods and services they consume. One way that companies can signal their green intentions is by drastically changing the way they travel, including their vehicle fleet.
Nevertheless, the survey did highlight some barriers to electric vehicle adoption by fleet managers. These include the elevated price point of electric vehicles when compared to traditionally fuelled alternatives, potential range limitations and a lack of charging infrastructure. Most notably, more than 40% or respondents had no workplace charging provisions so would be reliant on public infrastructure or charging at employee homes.
All in all, the results of the survey are very positive and, at the very least, point to significant intent for businesses to convert to electric travel. If you are a fleet manager, company owner or you drive a company car and would like to discuss your options, please get in touch. A member of our team would be happy to discuss this in more detail and answer any questions that you have. Call us on 0141 280 8890 or drop us an email at .
You can also stay up to date with the latest news on the company car market by joining the company car driver group on LinkedIn or Facebook.