Nearly half of English local authorities unprepared for Electric Vehicle transition

Geotab releases new report examining the progress amongst local authorities in England making the transition to Electric Vehicles (EVs).

Despite the UK government’s mandated ‘end of sale’ of petrol and diesel cars by 2030, the research finds an alarming lack of local investment and awareness regarding the EV transition.

The report highlights some key opportunities and recommendations for local governments to better prepare themselves for the future transition to EVs.

Almost half of local authorities surveyed have yet to set a date for completing the transition of their fleets to electric vehicles, with 74% still operating fleets comprising more than 90% petrol and diesel-powered Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles.

When asked for reasoning for not setting appropriate target dates, respondents cited that the key barriers include the high cost and limited availability for specific types of EVs, such as Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) and buses, along with limited resources to dedicate to support such a transition. However, Geotab has previously demonstrated that nearly 40% of UK fleet vehicles could go electric today and still save money, according to its Electric Vehicle Suitability Assessment (EVSA).

David Savage, Vice President UK & Ireland at Geotab, states “The findings of this report demonstrate a worrying lack of investment by local authorities across England ahead of the switch to electric at the end of this decade, 27% of the UK’s emissions are attributed to transport, and fleets account for over 50% of new vehicles on the road.”

Despite the issues and challenges raised in the report, its findings have concluded that the transition has clearly begun, with 80% of local authorities reporting at least one EV in their fleets—and despite the low electrification rate across all surveyed local authorities, Leeds City Council, Kingston, West Sussex County Council, and Winchester City Council all reported 20% or higher electrification amongst their fleets.

Nottingham City Council is leading the way with 34.9% of its fleet currently electrified and aiming to become completely zero-emission by 2028. It is the first local council to operate an electric HGV and bus, with a total of 20 expected to be operational in the coming years.

Read the full article here.