The Government recently confirmed that by 2030, all new light commercial vehicles (LCVs) sold must be fully electric. However, is ‘white van man’ ready to go green? A recent study by vehicle finance specialists Lombard found some surprising answers.
There is a perception that sole traders and small business owners, do not care about the environment, but Lombard’s research found the opposite. The company asked 500 van drivers about their environmental concerns and how they feel about electric LCVs.
Ready to switch?
Of those surveyed, 40% said that they will consider an electric van when they next look to replace their work vehicle. And one in five respondents said they actually feel guilty about driving a diesel van, because of its emissions. Alarmingly, only 20% said that their current vehicle would meet emissions standards for clean air zones and the London Ultra Low Emission Zone – these require diesel engines to meet the Euro 6 standard, and petrol-powered vans to meet Euro 4.
However, many van drivers felt that there were obstacles in their way to swapping a diesel van for an electric vehicle (EV). Almost half worried that there were not enough charging points, and four out of 10 were concerned about the range capabilities of an e-van. However, 65% travelled 50 miles or less per day – well within the capabilities of electric commercial vehicles. Furthermore, 47% felt that the purchase price of electric LCVs was too high.
Additionally, 58% of participants said a grant would help incentivise them to make the switch to an EV, while 38% said they were unaware of Government and local grants to help companies transition to all-electric vans.
Spreading the cost
If you are thinking about investing in electric light trucks or e-vans, ePowerTrucks can help. We work with finance specialists to make it easier and more cost-effective to bring electric LCVs into your business.
Commercial electric vehicles help to cut your carbon footprint and reduce air pollution – and can also bring many financial benefits to businesses. There are grants, tax breaks and incentives to help you switch, as well as significantly reduced ‘fuel’ costs.
ePowerTrucks offers one of the widest ranges of road-legal electric commercial vehicles in the UK.
As an independent business, we can recommend the best vehicle to meet your specific needs. This includes the popular Alke range as well as the X-Cell series of last-mile delivery vehicles.
Click here to view our full range of road-legal electric utility trucks and view our last-mile delivery vehicles here.