Progressing zero-emission van deployment will be a top priority for operators in 2024, according to the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
But the trade body warned it will be an incremental process as fleets work to overcome tricky practical and strategic issues.
Chair Paul Hollick said that largescale rollout of fleet EVs was proving problematic due to compromises imposed by the current technology on key areas such as payload, range and charging – issues that have already led some fleets to turn to electric SUVs instead, according to Arval.
The AFP said the general feeling across its membership is that these issues can be resolved but it will take time and a wide range of strategies will need to be applied.
“For us, it appears that making progess in these areas – and the incremental best practice policies that need to be developed to make this happen – will be the dominant fleet topic for 2024,” said Hollick.
The most immediate problem to tackle, he added, was probably resolving 4.25-tonne electric van derogation, which has been beset by a degree of confusion that had caused many fleets to cancel or delay orders.
The Government is planning to remove some long-standing barriers to fleet usage of such vans – and the AFP said it’s in talks with the relevant official bodies and hopeful that workable solutions will soon appear.
Hollick added: “Being able to practically operate 4.25-tonne electric panel vans is central to many fleets’ zero emissions plans and this is something that is very much acting as a roadblock to progress.”
Van charging however remains a long-term issue that also needs attention, with both rapid proliferation of on-street chargers and better access to forecourt charging facilities “sorely needed”.
“Where drivers can charge a van on their driveway overnight, fleet operations have a head start. However, it is now known that around half live in terraced houses or apartments. The ideal solution to this conundrum is on-street charging and the AFP has been working on a national ‘heat map’ in recent months to show where these are most needed, making the data available to relevant parties such as local authorities and charger companies.”
The AFP is also in talks with charging companies about better access to forecourt chargers for light commercial vehicles.
“Like on-street charging, this is not a problem that will be solved overnight but we are hopeful that progress will be made on both these fronts in 2024,” Hollick added.
The association is also looking to create a new working group to investigate the practicalities of shared depot charging, where fleets provide mutual access to on-site facilities.
“We know from our research that there is much potential interest in this idea. What we now need to work out is whether it can be made to work on a practical level,” Hollick continued.
Hydrogen’s potential as a fleet fuel will also likely be on the minds of operators looking for zero emissions solutions in 2024, he added.
“We’ll be saying more about this soon but the arrival of the Vauxhall e-Vivaro Hydrogen represents probably the first viable opportunity for van fleets to adopt hydrogen. The advantages are a fast refuelling time, 250-mile range and a purchase price as low as £32,000. The list of disadvantages is long though, starting with a refuelling infrastructure that is so small that it barely exists.
“However, it is clear that at least some of our members are keen to try this vehicle in operational roles where electric vans are considered impractical, creating a multi-fuel zero emissions strategy.”
All of these subjects illustrated the value of being a member of the AFP for van fleet operators, he concluded.
“It’s a moment when having access to the expertise and ongoing dialogue that is present within the AFP has massive benefits for any light commercial vehicle fleet that is working towards zero emissions.”
