Environmental advocacy groups are urging cities to establish zero-emission zones to combat climate change and boost electric van adoption.
This follows the introduction of zero-emission freight zones in the Netherlands, where electric vans are sold at twice the rate of those in the UK. Despite the UK lagging behind in this regard, Transport and Environment (T&E) and Clean Cities believe that electric van adoption will grow in the coming years, with zero-emission zones achievable in cities throughout Europe by 2030.
A new report by the two organisations reveals statistics that back up this claim. The report states that by 2026, buyers will have more e-van than conventional models to choose from and by 2027, e-vans will be cheaper to buy than diesel ones. The study also highlights that a range of available e-van models will soon be sufficient for widespread adoption.
UK Clean Cities Campaign leader, Oliver Lord said: “This study shows that, with the right incentives in place, our city leaders can work with businesses to be much more ambitious when it comes to zero-emission freight. Instead of ending perks for electric vans next year, such as the plug-in van grant or the London congestion charge exemption, this Government should work with city leaders on a framework of policies so that e-vans become the go-to choice for fleets.”
To help fleets make the switch to environmentally friendly options, the Government is being called on to extend the congestion charge exemption and prolong the national plug-in van grant, which is set to end in the spring.
Electric vehicles lead at T&E UK, Ralph Palmer, said: “If the Government is serious about decarbonising the nation’s van fleets, it needs to have a plan, starting with extending the plug-in van grant beyond 2025 and accelerating the rollout of van-accessible charging infrastructure across the country.”
