EV growth in need of Government push, says FTA

The growth of electric vehicles (EVs) in the UK will need the support of the Government, according to a Freight Transport Association (FTA) survey.

The FTA has said that logistics companies are among the first to identify the benefits of switching to EVs.

FTA’s survey was conducted across a range of fleet operators from small, local businesses to large, international fleets and can be seen here.

Nine out of ten operators who are already using EVs are planning to expand their fleets with further EVs within the next three years, but the UK will need help from its Government and future Mayors if its to have further growth in the electric market.

Denise Beedell, FTA’s policy manager for vans and urban, said: “While the report shows there is incredible determination to create positive change across the logistics industry, it also identifies significant barriers that remain, preventing further uptake. FTA – the business organisation representing the sector – is calling on government to address these issues which include grid capacity constraints as well as limited vehicle types and vehicle availability, if the roll out of the UK’s EV fleet is to continue.

“The report outlines fleet operators’ frustrations with the limited vehicle-types available: 71% of respondents who decided against purchasing EVs cited this as the primary reason.

“For a number of years, FTA has urged manufacturers to progress the development of heavier EVs over 3.5 tonnes, as well as models such as tippers and pickups, and would like to see more definitive timelines from manufacturers as to when such vehicles will be available.

“In the meantime, FTA is asking government to recognise these limitations when implementing local and national policies on vehicle access.”

Recently, the FTA has added to its consultancy offering for businesses across the supply chain with the launch of a new strategic consultancy arm.