30% of Fleet Alliance orders in Q1 are for EVs

Electric cars have taken a record share of new car orders at Fleet Alliance in the first quarter of 2022, accounting for 30% of its order bank.

A further 33% of new car orders have been for Hybrid vehicles.

The Glasgow-based leasing and fleet management firm expects to grow the electric element of its fleet further this year, following the launch of its electric salary sacrifice scheme.

Andy Bruce, Fleet Alliance CEO, said: “With almost two-thirds of orders either BEVs or HEVs, we are continuing to see significant growth in electric cars across our managed fleet, well ahead of the national rate, as more of our customers opt to go down an electric route.

“This is being helped by an ever-widening array of new electric models coming onto the market, as more manufacturers broaden their product line-ups to include both BEVs and HEVs.

“The only major constraint is that of vehicle supply due to the global shortage of semiconductors but, with the increase in new models, there are always solutions available.”

Last year, Fleet Alliance saw record demand for electric models with 52% of all orders during 2021 for plug-in cars.

Bruce said that demand was also being driven within existing clients as part of Fleet Alliance’s commitment to the EV100 movement. As an EV100 member, Fleet Alliance plans to electrify its managed fleet of more than 30,000 vehicles by 2030.

The Fleet Alliance figures compare with the latest SMMT new car market figures which show that sales of BEVs accounted for a 15.4% share of the UK new car market in the first quarter of 2022 – a new record but around half that seen in the Fleet Alliance order books.

And HEVs, meanwhile, took a 18.6% market share, compared to the 33% share on the Fleet Alliance fleet.

Across the UK, national figures show that conventional engine cars continue their steady decline in popularity, in line with the Fleet Alliance figures.

Sales of diesel cars fell 51% in the first three months of 2022, according to the SMMT, as fleets continue to shun the once popular and market-leading fuel.

Sales of petrol cars, meanwhile, fell 15% in the first quarter, and in the month of March were down 25%.