Fleet expectations of adopting electric vans “almost flat”, new research reveals

John Peters (pictured), head of the body in the UK, said the survey reveals the difficulties operators face transitioning from diesel to electric vans and highlights the disparity between government targets and the actual uptake of electric vans.

“They show electrification of LCV operations remains a significant issue.The forecasted percentage penetration is almost flat over the last three years while the Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate target for new electric vans sales is 58% in 2029,” he explained.

“There is clearly a quite dramatic mismatch between government and fleet operator expectations.”

At the same time, the Arval Fleet and Mobility Observatory Barometer indicates petrol and diesel vehicle numbers will continue to grow at 74% – an increase of 3%. 

Peters said: “It is widely recognised that fleets face significant challenges when it comes to electric van adoption in areas including range, payload, and charging.

“These issues cause sometimes significant operational difficulties, so the doubts expressed by our respondents and preference for long-established fuels are understandable.”

However, Peters suggests that the forecasts are likely to be overly pessimistic and influenced by a lack of knowledge about the options open to operators.

“The Arval consulting team works closely with many fleets on electrification and the potential for adoption is much higher than generally recognised across the sector, if not approaching ZEV Mandate levels.

“Many of the apparent problems can be solved with slight changes in approach while the significant advantages of electric vans are perhaps unappreciated.

“We are also seeing new models enter the market which present opportunities for operator fleets,” he explained.