Carbon reduction remains the key concern for LCV fleets – Northgate
Carbon reduction remains the primary reason for LCV fleets looking to transition to electric vehicles, research from Northgate Vehicle Hire suggests.
It comes from its customers as, among the fleets that attended Northgate’s Reading Drive to Zero EV roadshow in 2024, 62.5% identified carbon reduction as their main motivation for lowering emissions.
This represents a notable 12.5% increase from 50% in 2023 and while cost reduction remains a significant driver for electrification, it has stayed at a consistent level with 22% of fleets citing it as a motivation.
Additionally, 22% of fleets indicated that meeting customer requirements was a key factor in their electrification efforts, as ESG plays an ever more important role in tendering.
Despite this, fewer fleets are feeling the pressure to electrify in 2024 compared to last year, with only 9% indicating they feel pressured to move away from diesel, down from 20%.
“Fleets remain keen on reducing their carbon emissions, and Northgate’s ongoing national EV Roadshows are helping fleets to make a start on their transition to electric LCVs,” says Melanie Creedy, Northgate’s EV business development manager.
“While cost and implementation remain the most common challenges faced by fleets, it’s great to see that these are diminishing year on year, as eLCVs become more commonplace.”
Moreover, a majority of fleets (63%) stated they are just starting out on their electrification journey, slightly higher than 60% before, while 21.2% of fleets reported that they are already well on their way to achieving zero emissions.
Despite the growing interest in carbon reduction, fleets continue to express concerns about the cost and implementation of the transition, as over one-third cited cost as a major concern, while a similar number identified implementation as their biggest challenge.