Van fleets are likely to be the biggest winners from the government’s new announcement that hybrids will be able to stay on sale in some form until 2035, says FleetCheck.
Peter Golding, managing director at the fleet software specialist, pointed out that while the clarification made yesterday didn’t specifically mention vans, it was a fair assumption that similar rules to cars would apply.
“It’s no secret that van fleets have been finding the process of electrification much more tough than their car counterparts. Battery electric vans bring payload, range and charging compromises that present massive operational obstacles for some.
“Against that backdrop, hybrid vans are a sensible stepping stone that will provide an extra five years to resolve those issues. It is genuinely good news. Few people in fleet could envisage how van fleets were going to switch to a battery electric only model by the end of the decade, and the new government announcement provides some breathing space.”
The situation still presented problems, he added, some of which would require careful consideration of which fuel types to use for which applications.
“The first issue is that there are just not many models of hybrid van in production, especially plug-in hybrids. However, in the car market, there is some evidence that hybrids are gaining momentum and manufacturers are investing in them as a transitional technology, and something similar is likely to happen for vans.
“The second is that while the 2035 announcement creates some breathing space for van fleets, it is only a limited amount. The government says that the 2030 zero emissions production targets will stay in place, as will the zero emissions mandate. By the end of the decade, the majority of vans on sale will still be electric only.
“What operators will have now though, is more time to use hybrids where they are needed. In the simplest terms, electric vans are likely to be adopted for applications where their compromises are less of an issue, and hybrids where greater range and payload are needed, or there is a shortage of charging facilities.”
Peter said that the extra time now available should be used to look at ways in which the limitations of electric van technology could be removed.
“There are number of ways this could happen. Improved battery technology is probably the most likely but it is also possible that, especially for larger vans, there is the time to develop a fuelling network in order to make widespread adoption of hydrogen vans viable.”
About FleetCheck
Established in 2006 and based in Kemble, Gloucestershire, FleetCheck is one of the UK’s leading fleet software and management specialists, with a customer base of more than 2,000 customers operating in excess of 270,000 vehicles and assets. Its range of products, which are designed with an accent on ease of use and effectiveness, include the core FleetCheck fleet management software system, FleetCheck Licence Assured, FleetCheck Technician, and the FleetCheck Driver inspection app. The company also offers a wide range of affinity services designed to support fleet operational needs.
More details can be found at fleetcheck.co.uk.
