After three years of static emissions growth, carbon dioxide levels are beginning, once again, to rise. Indeed, they have previously reached record highs in 2017, with predictions of them going higher still after super-powers the USA and China increase their use of fossil fuels. Fleet Evolution are urging companies to alter their fleet policies in a bid to combat CO2 emissions and drive them down.
Based in Tamworth, the company believe that an introduction of more electric vehicles (EVs) could make a difference, building from local to national changes. The addition of ultra-low emission vehicles to fleets would also benefit companies financially, they suggest, as well as produce cleaner air. There’s also financial gain in the avoidance of charges for entering the emission charging zones that many cities have introduced.
Fleet Evolution’s Managing Director Andrew Leech commented: “Last year we saw CO2 emission levels in the UK increase for the first time in 20 years due to the Government’s ill-advised policy of attacking the use of diesel cars, which saw more drivers switch to petrol alternatives.
“Figures released by the SMMT showed that, as a result, carbon tailpipe emissions rose for the first time since 1997, with new cars averaging 121.04g/km, up 0.8% on 2016. That’s disgraceful after all the efforts that have been taken to reduce CO2 emissions.”
Leech added that fleets could still make an impact by changing tact over their policies and introduce as many hybrids and pure EVs to driver choice lists as possible. A much greater selection of suitable eco-friendly vehicles is now available on the market and some of the more popular models are already beginning to have waiting lists, Leech claimed.
He also discussed supporting infrastructure for EVs: “The recharging infrastructure we need is now being put in place. In the last few days we have seen Tesco announce that it is adding more than 2,400 charge points to 600 car parks around the country in conjunction with Volkswagen and vehicle charging specialist, Pod Point.
“There are now 17,701 public charge points in the UK as at September 2018, a 27% increase in the last 12 months, while many drivers have access to their ideal charging station – their own driveways or garage.”
A serious advocate of EVs, Fleet Evolution was awarded Go Ultra Low Company status in 2017, after utilising plug-in cars in its own fleet, plus its commitment to boost the uptake of these vehicles in the future.
The company now offers free workplace charge points for any company ordering three electric cars or more. This has resulted in several companies cutting their CO2 emissions by up to 40%.
Fleet Evolution’s concern over CO2 is echoed by many. At the recent United Nation’s annual climate summit, Sir David Attenborough issued a warning as he stated that the world stands at a ‘crossroads’ when it comes to the issue of climate change:
“Right now, we’re facing a man-made disaster of global scale, our greatest threat in thousands of years: climate change. If we don’t take action, the collapse of our civilizations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon,” he informed the audience in Katowice, Poland.
Leech commented: “When eminent conservationists like Sir David Attenborough warn that the world is at a crossroads, it behoves us all to pay attention and do our very best to help save the planet.”
