Plug in for a sustainable transport future

By David Savage, vice president, UK and Ireland, Geotab. Transport is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for more than a quarter of all CO₂ emissions on the planet. On top of that, roads alone comprise 75% of all transport pollution. As such, it’s no surprise that fleet operators are increasingly turning their attention to the emissions and sustainability of their vehicles.

At Geotab, we have a relentless focus on helping organisations to help themselves transition to a low-carbon future – whether that’s turning to data to enhance vehicle and driver efficiency or examining the case for a transition to a fully electric fleet.

In fact, we’ve recently launched a new report finding that nearly 60% of analysed European light-duty fleet vehicles could switch to electric today – and save nearly £218 million in the process.

However, there remains a clear need to encourage and accelerate EV adoption, particularly in the midst of the ongoing energy crisis. This transition needs investment and attention – and, while former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-budget showed an encouraging shift with regard to the acceleration of the Local EV Infrastructure Fund and the Rapid Charging Fund, it remains critical to ensure that electric mobility continues to provide an attractive alternative to fossil fuels.

We found in our research that despite having the highest share of EVs with high-range capability, the UK is outpaced by continental Europe when considering overall cost effectiveness. The UK’s termination of the plug-in car grant earlier this year has demonstrably stifled the economic viability of this transition, not to mention the surging costs of rapid public EV chargers.

The shift to electric is coming. Now’s the time for the UK to make it a compelling one!