Fleet and leasing industry calls for electric vehicle campaign

The UK Government is being urged to launch a campaign to galvanise public support for electric vehicles (EVs) by the fleet industry, including major operators BT, Openreach and Mitie.

With a consultation on ending the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030 closing today (Tuesday, February 18), the coalition of companies, which also includes Ovo, Zenith and Grundfos, warn that a perception shift in the population is needed for them to continue their EV transitions at pace.  

Clive Selley, CEO of Openreach, said: “As a big fleet operator, we’re aware of our environmental impact and we’re committed to leading the shift to zero-emission vehicles. 

“We’re addressing some adoption barriers ourselves – for example by installing thousands of home charging points for our engineers – but we also see the need to keep incentivising EV adoption.” 

BT Group placed one of the largest orders ever for a fleet of battery electric commercial vehicles in January.

Ford, Stellantis, Toyota and Renault will deliver around 3,500 EVs to the telecoms giant over the next two years. 

The company already has around 4,300 EVs, supporting its target to become a net zero business by March 2031. 

Selley continued: “A public campaign would boost awareness and confidence in EV benefits, speeding up the UK’s journey to a greener, sustainable future.”

Peter Dickinson, chief legal officer at Mitie, also believes now is the time to ramp up the transition to EVs. 

“As one of the UK’s largest electric fleet operators, with over 6,000 EVs, Mitie has been a driving force in this shift to green transport, but a national mission is needed to enable the UK to meet its 80% EV by 2030 target,” he said. 

“Encouraging other businesses and communities on this journey will unlock even greater investment, create green jobs, and strengthen the UK’s position as a leader in clean transport.” 

Mitie welcomed its 6,000th EV to its fleet in December, with the zero-emission van unveiled by transport minister Lilian Greenwood.

With almost three quarters (73%) of its fleet now electric, Mitie is making rapid progress in fully electrifying its fleet, having achieved its 4,000th, 5,000th, and 6,000th EV last year alone.

The UK recently surpassed Germany to become Europe’s largest electric-car market, with every fifth new car now an EV, but they say that negative sentiment, prevailing myths around EVs, and misleading narratives continue to dominate the debate.  

Ian Hughes, CEO of Zenith’s corporate and consumer divisions, explained: “Much of the progress in the transition to electric vehicles so far has been through company car and salary sacrifice schemes, where clear financial incentives and an established framework of communication has helped drivers make an informed decision. 

“However, for general consumers, more needs to be done to encourage the switch and a targeted Government-led campaign could help foster greater EV awareness, acting as a catalyst to drive change and meet the Government’s phase-out targets.”

Alex Thwaites, director of EVs at Ovo, added: “We need to work together to make it easier for people to switch to EVs. 

“While we have progressed in recent years, there needs to be more incentives from the Government, such as better charging infrastructure and green financing options for EVs, to accelerate the adoption of EVs if it is serious about the ZEV Mandate.”  

The international non-profit Climate Group – which convenes many of the UK’s largest fleets committed to electrification – is advocating for a public campaign to go hand-in-hand with a national mission on EV infrastructure.  

Helen Clarkson, CEO of the Climate Group, said: “The UK is ahead of the curve, driving one of Europe’s most successful EV transitions, but the Government is failing to grab this unprecedented opportunity with both hands. 

“To really attract investment, harness innovation, and deliver growth for generations to come, now is the time to shift up a gear. 

“That means bringing together the energy, charging, automotive, and public sector in a national mission on EV infrastructure, so we can develop our charging and grid infrastructure with the urgency and ambition required.”   

The latest sales data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed that petrol new car registrations dropped by 15.3% to comprise just over half (50.3%) the market in January, with diesel down 7.7% to claim a 6.2% share. 

Both hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) recorded volume growth and saw their market shares rise to 13.2% and 9.0%, respectively. 

Battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations, meanwhile, continued recent growth trends, with volumes up by 41.6% year on year to take a 21.3% market share.

BT, Openreach, Mitie, Ovo, Zenith and Grundfos are members of EV100, Climate Group’s network of more than 120 companies committed to electrifying their fleets by 2030.