Clean Air Zones are going to become more common, as cities fight to reduce air pollution. Now is the time to future-proof your operations and get ahead of the curve.
The number of Clean Air Zones (CAZs) across the UK is growing, as cities aim to reduce emissions to improve air quality. Transport is the main cause of air pollution in the UK, and CAZs are proven to reduce pollutants such a carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter.
Types of Zone
There are four types of Clean Air Zone, classified as A to D as follows:
| Class | Vehicle type |
| A | Buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles |
| B | Buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, heavy goods vehicles |
| C | Buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, vans, minibuses |
| D | Buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, vans, minibuses, cars, the local authority has the option to include motorcycles |
Current Zones
As of September 2021, the following cities currently have Clean Air Zones:
Bath (class C) and Birmingham (class D) have CAZs which affect van and truck drivers. London also has an Ultra-Low Emissions Zone which works in the same way. If your vehicles do not meet the required emissions standards then you will have to pay a daily charge to enter the zone.
Clean Air Zones due to come online in late 2021 or 2022 in England include: Bristol, Bradford, Greater Manchester, Liverpool, Portsmouth, and Tyneside. In Scotland, Low Emission Zones will be implemented in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, and Glasgow.
Emissions Standards
The emissions standards you have to meet in order to avoid the daily charges are:
Trucks Euro VI
Diesel vans Euro 6
Petrol vans Euro 4
Zero Emission Zones
Some areas have skipped low emission zones and moved straight onto zero-emissions zones. Oxford is introducing one of these zones. All vehicles entering the zone will have to pay a charge, except for pure electric vehicles (EVs).
Joining the Dots
It isn’t hard to join the dots and see that, ultimately, Clean Air Zones will charge all vehicles apart from EVs. It makes sense now to future-proof your fleet by investing in electric delivery vehicles such as our X-Cell series.
The X-Cell is a compact electric vehicle designed for couriers, post and parcel delivery and last mile logistics applications. It is available in three different versions, which have top speeds of up to 50mph, a range of up to 120 miles, and can carry a 500kg payload. Multiple cargo bed configurations are available. The three models are the X-Cell, X-Cell+, and X-Cell Pro+.
The X-Cell Micro is a 3-wheel electric vehicle which is ideal for light loads such as postal and takeaway deliveries. It offers a top speed of 25mph, payloads of 250kg or 100kg, and a range of up to 55 miles. The Micro can be customised with a refrigeration box, insulated box for hot food and drink, or be fitted with an adaptable cargo box. It is available in two models, the Micro and Micro+.
For more details on our complete range of electric trucks for last-mile delivery, visit here.