Electric Vehicles Written by James Court, consultant to the UK Electric Fleet Coalition at The Climate Group
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A strong voice in support of electric vehicles The UK Electric Fleet Coalition aims to show government that some of the biggest companies in the UK are prepared and eager to make the transition to electric vehicles, but they need that ambition matched by government. The Climate Group’s James Court explains further Transport is the largest source of greenhouse I don’t say this to embarrass or discredit gas emissions in the UK and roadside air government predictions, but to highlight how pollution causes thousands of quickly, and dramatically, technology premature deaths every year. A can confound expectations. The rapid transformation of the Businesses too can underplay UK Elec UK’s vehicle stock from their own ability. In 1943 Fleet C tric internal combustion the President of IBM o a l engine (ICE) to electric predicted that “there i t i o brings t n is a vital part of the is a world market for ogethe r the voic solution for net-zero maybe five computers”. es of busines emissions and clean It may be that we look ses alig air. Indeed, recently, back at today’s policy n in their the Committee on conversations about vision oed going e f Climate Change whether we should ban lectric recommended 2032 Internal Combustion Engines by 203 as the date needed for by 2035 or 2030 as obvious 0 an ICE Phase Out. This is in hindsight, but progress must the ambition and leadership start with ambition and leadership. that is needed, yet some are uncomfortable with this scale of change. Eager to transition to electric Consider that in 2010, the UK government This is why international non-profit The predicted the installation of over 2,500 Climate Group has launched The UK megawatts (MW) of solar by 2020, with Electric Fleet Coalition with partners a price range of between 136-250 £/ BT and Openreach. It demonstrates the megawatt-hours (MWh). As of last year, ambition that BT, the second largest there are over 13,000MW of Solar PV UK fleet, has in the future of clean panels installed, and the cost is now transport. And they are not alone. between 30-50 £MWh, one of the cheapest With nearly 80 members, The forms of power generation available. Climate Group’s EV100
DRIVING THE SWITCH TO CLEANER FLEETS | www.greenfleet.net
initiative has brought together a global group of companies whose commitments to fleet electrification will see over 4.5 million vehicles switch to electric by 2030. These businesses have also made commitments to company-wide EV charging roll-out for staff and customers that will see charge points deployed at over 3,000 company locations. In the UK, this includes 28 corporate fleet commitments (~66,000 vehicles), five leasing company commitments (~427,000 vehicles) and 25 customer charging commitments (~500 locations). These commitments clearly demonstrate that the business community is already committed to the clean transport agenda. EV100 companies are playing a crucial role in building market demand that enables investments, as well as bringing staff and customers along for the transition. But more can and must be done to accelerate the switch to clean transport.
