Your Guide to Ultra-Low Emission Vans

Ultra-low emission vehicles have dominated the motoring headlines for a number of years, and now thanks to the launch of joint government and car industry campaign, Go Ultra Low, switching to electric has never been so easy or beneficial. There are many advantages of going ultra-low for commercial vehicle operators and fleet managers, harnessing huge fuel savings being one of them, but what are the latest trends in the van world and just how successful is the adoption of electric vehicles in the commercial sector?

Why go ultra-low?

As we’ve briefly mentioned, opting for an ultra-low emission van could in fact have more benefits than you think, and thanks to the government backed Go Ultra-Low scheme the adoption of electric vehicles is more accessible than ever. The fuel savings aspect of ultra-low emission vehicles is of course one of the main advantages, after all fleet managers and commercial vehicle operators are always looking to save money. The latest research shows that ultra-low emission vans could unlock fuel savings of up to £1,500 per year in comparison to the diesel fuelled vehicles usually deployed throughout the commercial sector. Even if half of the 3.7 million vans currently operating on UK roads made the switch fuel cost savings would be a colossal £2.6 billion!

In addition to saving on fuel, ultra-low emission van owners will spend less on maintenance fees and tax rates.

The latest developments

The ultra-low emission vehicle sector is constantly evolving, however thanks to the latest developments and growing government support, electric cars and vans are not only cheaper to run than their petrol and diesel powered alternatives but more affordable to buy. As well as benefiting from sizable tax breaks and fuel savings, the government grants now available make electric company cars and fleet vehicles a worthy investment. Fleet managers and commercial vehicle operators can get up to £4,500 off the showroom price of a new electric car or up to £8,000 off the price of a low emission van courtesy of the Plug-in Car Grant and the Plug-in Van Grant. Grant eligibility is dependent on the electric vehicle make and model, and the criteria is split into three categories as a result.

Thanks to these grants, both of which aren’t as complex to access as you think, more and more commercial vehicle operators and fleet managers are investing in low emission driving, and overall more than 70,000 drivers have already made the switch.

What do you need to consider?

After considering the cost of your low emission investment and the benefits that go hand-in-hand with driving an electric van, there are other factors that must be deliberated before going electric. The range of your ultra-low emission van may be a concern, especially as you will be using it to transport goods or deliver services on behalf of your business. It may surprise you that some electric vehicle models have a particularly long range, and can travel up to 700 miles off one charge.

The accessibility of recharging points for electric vehicles may also be a concern, however, whilst they may go unnoticed, there are over 11,000 charge points in the UK at present, and this number is growing. Amazingly 96% of motorway service stations have a rapid charger that will recharge your low emission vehicle to at least 80% in under 30 minutes, which gives you or your driver just enough time for lunch!