ZEV Mandate targets unachievable – Venson Automotive

ZEV Mandate targets are ‘unachievable’ for the commercial fleet sector, according to Venson Automotive Solutions.

It is now urging the government to take decisive action to relieve the burden of potentially crippling penalties for fleets who fall short of ZEV Mandate sales stipulations.

The ZEV Mandate sets out annual targets for a growing percentage of new cars and vans to be electric. The targets are slightly lower for vans than cars.

This year 10% of van sales need to be electric; the percentage rises to 16%, 24% and 34% over the next three years, reaching 70% by 2030.

Simon Staton, client management director at Venson, said: “Although the ZEV Mandate states lower quotas for vans than for cars, it doesn’t take into account the pace at which e-vans can will be taken into fleets. The challenge for fleet operators is that the e-vans currently available do not always meet business requirements. For example, the payload, mileage and charging infrastructure mean that e-vans can’t always meet the operational requirements of a business.

“Forcing a premature e-van transition would require a lot of planning and negotiation within a business, and sometimes unions, to change operational ways of working.”