Around half of the local authorities in England are not prepared for the transition towards electric vehicles (EVs), a research by Geotab has found.
The study says there’s an ‘alarming’ lack of local investment and awareness regarding the EV transition despite the UK government’s decision to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
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Geotab commissioned the research, titled ‘Destination EV – Accelerating Local Authority EV Transition’, in partnership with Political Intelligence.
It was conducted between January and April 2022 and of the 113 selected local authorities, 98 responded in time for the report’s publication.
The research revealed that around half of the local authorities that participated in the survey have not set a deadline to complete the transition of the fleets to EVs.
Around 74% of the authorities are operating fleets comprising 90% petrol and diesel-powered vehicles, with the average rate of transition being 4.2%.
High cost and availability for specific types of EVs, and lack of appropriate charging infrastructure, along with limited resources to support the transition were the key barriers cited by the respondents.
Geotab UK & Ireland vice president David Savage said: “The findings of this report demonstrate a worrying lack of investment by local authorities across England ahead of the switch to electric at the end of this decade.
“27% of the UK’s emissions are attributed to transport, and fleets account for over 50% of new vehicles on the road. Public sector fleet operators are in a position to lead this strategic shift by example—but they need the necessary investment, funding, and tools to support the transition to 100% electric.”
The report also states that despite the challenges, the transition to EVs has begun with 80% of local authorities stating that they have at least one EV in their fleets.
