EV adoption is fast reaching a state of ‘business as usual’ in the vast majority of cases. It is van fleets that are going to find moving away from internal combustion engines (ICE) much more of a challenge, with issues ranging from vehicle availability to charging accessibility and more. Businesses operating light commercial vehicles are faced with balancing their desire to operate more sustainable fleets, against cost and operational efficiency
MAXUS recently launched its biggest EV support programme ever, committing £30 million to the UK EV market to help van drivers, small businesses as well as larger fleets move away from Internal Combustion Engines (ICE). Available at any MAXUS dealership in the UK, this support programme is open to all customers who want to purchase, contract hire or lease a MAXUS eDELIVER 9. A £15,000 subsidy will be set aside for each vehicle purchased as part of the campaign, which is limited to 2,000 eDELIVER 9 vehicles.
By combining software, charging, service and financing for commercial vehicles, Ford Pro is a first-of-its-kind venture in the commercial vehicle sector, providing fully integrated, digital-first solutions to simplify fleet management, whether they run diesel- and petrol-powered vehicles, or even non-Ford vehicles, as they transition to all-electric models.
Four-step Accelerate to Zero programme is tailored to Shell’s customers and helps fleet and mobility managers to determine and understand their current carbon footprint, evaluate their options for decarbonising and build a roadmap for reducing their on-road emissions to zero and finally, to net-zero.
Map shows where drivers employed by AFP member companies need kerbside charging in order to adopt an electric vehicle (EV). The underlying database contains 75,000 records and the map and statistics are aggregated to local authority level. Key findings include that nearly four out of 10 homes (38.7%) are without off-road space that would enable chargers to be fitted for an electric panel van. Overall, 65-70% of AFP van drivers need kerbside charging installed.
The fuel duty reduction caused a short term fall in pump prices but they are now back above previous highs, showing that upwards pressure remains. Further help from the Government seems unlikely in the short term at least, so it is very much down to fleets to keep pursuing fuel fundamentals.
Following the shift towards small and mid-sized panel vans in Q1, interest has again returned to larger used commercials, with the Volkswagen Crafter proving to be the most desirable used LCV in May thanks to its great payload and load cube. This has been fuelled by the continued growth of the parcel delivery sector and by operators turning to used vans as they lose patience with the continued lack of new van supply
Cygnet Healthcare, which works with individuals with mental health needs, autism and learning disabilities across the UK, operates a multi-class fleet of outright purchased vehicles meeting several different healthcare needs, many of which have been specially adapted and converted. These range from specially converted minibuses to multi-marque SUVs serving some 180 different locations across the country.
Electric-powered van sales in the UK continue to grow with their sales up a staggering 65.8% on 2021 so far this year. At present, one in 20 new vans sold in the UK are battery powered and EV commercial vehicles continue to buck the downward trends of both the new van market overall and sales of diesel-powered vans that have fallen by 27.8%.
Newly contracted suppliers will work alongside Alphabet’s existing team of dedicated commercial vehicle experts to ensure every detail from racking to livery is taken care of for Alphabet customers. The nationwide supplier network comprises nine approved LCV conversion specialists covering seven core categories; internal van provision, construction body and dry freight, minibus and wheelchair accessible vehicles, refrigerated vehicles, livery and media.
Drivers now have to complete, and successfully pass, assessment days, including driving assessments carried out by a dedicated driving assessor, before being added to the DAVIS system. They are then sent an SMS message or email to provide consent for their licences to be checked – which is then carried out monthly on an ongoing basis.
Earlier this month Sixt reported it had been the subject of cyber attack. The company, which operates 2,000 locations across 110 countries, managed to act quickly and contain it at an early stage. A recent government survey showed that in the last 12 months, 39% of UK businesses have identified a cyber attack.
The latest version of its Miles Monitor app automatically captures mileage and monitors driver behaviour, which together with fuel spend reporting and data consolidation, provides unprecedented insight into fleet activity, transforming fleet management.
Taking delivery of the new e-Vito forms part of Northgate’s wider drive towards fleet electrification, entitled Drive to Zero. The proposition was developed to ease the transition to electric LCVs and includes A fleet suitability analysis, the provision of turnkey charging solutions including infrastructure management - via its charging sister company ChargedEV - as well as servicing, maintenance, and driver training support.
While it is compact and lightweight, it can carry up to 945kg payload, which competes more than favourably with any other small diesel van on the road. MAXUS vehicles are developed with the very latest technology in the automotive industry and this includes the development of several battery options for the e DELIVER 3, as well as various battery cooling methods, which allows a reduction in charging time (DC 45mins (5%-80%) AC 5hrs), extending battery life and increasing the operating range.
THERE’s more to EVs than cars: there’s funding, government grants and charging infrastructure to think about.
