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Fleets urged to consider alternatives to diesel
Date: 10 October 2017
Venson Automotive Solutions is urging fleet decision-makers to future-proof their vehicle operation decisions by looking at alternatives to diesel fuel.
The firm warns that company car selection must be primarily based on whole-life costs and fitness for purpose, and fleets should include a mix of vehicles powered by petrol and electricity.
However, diesel should continue to have its place, particularly for high mileage drivers.
"In the company car sector, fleet decision-makers and drivers have a clear choice of petrol, hybrid, plug-in as well as diesel, which has been the mainstay of corporate travel operations for 15 years," says Simon Staton, client management director of Venson Automotive Solutions. "However, the media continues to demonise diesel, calling time on the fuel prematurely."
"Although fleet decision-makers and company car drivers have a tightrope-like balancing act to perform, that means future-proofing their vehicle operating decisions against a changing landscape, there is no definitive 'right' fleet fuel. While diesel as well as petrol, pure electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars all have their merits they also have their drawbacks - financial and operational - that must be taken into account in the decision-making process."
"In the commercial sector, we anticipate that diesel will remain dominant as, while plug-in vans are available, their viability, notably due to range and payload, only make them suitable for niche requirements," Staton continues. "In addition, both the government and the Mayor of London are using Euro6 emission standards as the entry criteria to Clean Air Zones and the capital's Ultra-Low Emission Zone.
"Whilst emission standards and taxation will continue to tighten over the coming years, with government encouraging adoption of plug-in vehicles, for the short and medium terms, best practice dictates that fleets will operate a mix of fuel types, including diesel."
