Breakdowns increasing due to delays in fleet vehicle replacement

The number of vehicle breakdowns reported by fleet owners has increased due to delays in vehicle replacement caused by the semiconductor crisis. A report published by software company FleetCheck has found that fleet maintenance is one of the most pressing concerns for fleet owners, who are having to delay their replacement cycles. Major component failures ... Read More

Free EV trials for UK businesses

If you’ve been considering making the electric switch but you’d be keen to try before you buy, there’s good news. Highways England is giving British businesses the opportunity to operate electric vehicles (EVs) for two months – for free. True story. Rollout starting in several locations The scheme’s already been trialled by Leeds City Council ... Read More

Fleet registrations back up – but for how long?

Things might be turning around, finally (but slowly). According to the latest statistics from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), fleet and company car registrations grew more than twice as fast as private purchases last month. 82,872 new vehicles were registered to business and fleet in May, more than a 1% increase on ... Read More

Where are all the public charging points?

Public charging points are outnumbered by home units at a rate of three to one, so where are they all? The latest Department for Transport (DfT) Transport and Technology Public Attitudes Tracker report highlighted key barriers to electric vehicle (EV) ownership. The report found that 80% of all EV charging sessions happen at residential addresses, ... Read More

How long can fleets expect EV grants to stay on the table?

The Government has warned that it’s unlikely to give any warning ahead of future cuts to the plug-in car and van grant. We shouldn’t be too surprised, considering it’s already happened before – with the reduction in the grant for EVs being announced this March with no prior notice and immediate effect. But it’s hardly ... Read More

Fleets get positive about life post-pandemic as car manufacturers close in on capacity

After a year of ups and downs thanks to you-know-what, there’s finally some good news for the automotive industry, and fleets in particular. March’s figures are in, and we can confirm that just a year on from Lockdown 1, most car manufacturers are operating close to capacity once more. As you’d probably expect, production continues ... Read More

Smart technology lights the pathway to electric vehicle rollout

One of the concerns that are frequently aired whenever there’s talk about the 2030 ban on combustion engines is whether we have the infrastructure in place to deal with the extra demand electric vehicles will place on the network. With the take-up of EVs gathering pace, it’s estimated that by 2030 there’ll be 4.5 million ... Read More

4p per mile not enough for electric company vehicles

Government incentives and cheaper fuel costs are among the benefits of electrifying your fleet early. But it turns out the advisory fuel rate (AFR) – i.e. the “45p per mile” electric expense alternative – doesn’t fit the bill, quite literally. In September 2018, HMRC set out an AFR for pure electric cars of just 4 ... Read More

Growing backlash over cuts to electric car grants – what does it mean for fleets?

On Thursday the government announced its plan to cut the electric vehicle grant. The Department of Transport announced it would reduce the grant from £3,000 to £2,500 and that it will be restricted to cars under £35,000 (previously £50,000). Grants will no longer be available for higher-priced vehicles. The viewpoint being that higher-priced vehicles are ... Read More

£3,500 EV lovechild of Fiat Panda and Skoda Yeti doubles Tesla sales in China

Move over, Tesla. A cheap model has hit China’s car market and it outsold the EV giant by 2-1 in January. In fact, it’s now the second-best-selling electric model in the world. At just £3,200, the Hong Guang Mini EV by China’s biggest car manufacturer, SAIC Motor, is proving a big hit. Even though its ... Read More