The Zero Emission Van Plan Coalition has seen “little evidence” of the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate regime helping the LCV market, five months into the new rules.
New registration figures for zero-emission vans have remained around 5% since the start of the year, it reported with “fundamental barriers” preventing adoption and “need urgent attention”, the coalition said.
The van plan, which was launched in parliament earlier this year, includes the BVRLA, Logistics UK, the REA and its EV forum REcharge UK, the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP), and The EV Café.
In February of this year, the consortium surveyed more than fifty operators with a combined fleet of over 200,000 vans, and found that 87% of them said the transition was not on track, the same number said the Plug-in Van Grant needed to be extended beyond 2024/2025, and 90% said new grants were required.
A spokesperson for the Zero Emission Van Plan, said: “The ZEV mandate has been introduced to stimulate supply, but demand is lagging. Electric LCVs are too expensive and struggle to cope with the operational needs of many van fleets, particularly when it comes to charging.
“The Zero Emission Van Plan is clear. For the transition to work, we need increased fiscal support, improved charging, and the removal of regulatory barriers. While many fleets are making the switch and seeing early success, the majority are unable to adopt greener vehicles due to the financial and operational sacrifices that are required.”
“Policymakers need to take the transition to zero-emission vans more seriously. Vans are the workhorses of the UK economy and the fastest growing part of the vehicle parc. The incoming government must do more to support electric van users,” the spokesperson concluded.
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