Support for the used EV market is the number one fleet ask for November’s Budget, according to the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
The organisation’s chair, Paul Hollick, said that the Electric Car Grant for new EVs introduced earlier this year had been a relative success, and something similar for used EVs could play an essential role.
He said: “While the [Electric Car Grant] has not been perfect, it appears to be helping make new electric cars more accessible through both direct grants and widespread, substantial discounting being prompted by increased competition.
“Really, we’d like to see a corresponding initiative for the used sector. While values for second hand EVs have stabilised and the era of large month-on-month drops appears to thankfully be over, consumer interest is still variable and residual values remain simply too low.
“Some form of support that helps to stimulate buyer enthusiasm – which could be anything from direct grants to interest-free loans – would be very well received by fleets.”
Other measures wanted by the AFP include the removal of VED for EVs.
Hollick said: “The increases for electric cars that took effect from April have added quite heavily to their running costs and created a disincentive, while the introduction of VED for electric vans has been counterproductive in a market that is struggling to find its feet.
“We’d also like to see more support for kerbside charging. It appears a relatively cheap and effective solution for people living in terraced houses or apartments has now been identified in the shape of cable gullies, and there should be a commitment to a much wider implementation than the £25 million already allocated.
“There is also a need to encourage more ‘destination’ charging at hotels and other facilities which, according to feedback from our members, is a hole in current network provision that is becoming increasingly apparent over time.
“Additionally, for EVs, we’d like to see a reintroduction of charging infrastructure grants for businesses. Deadlines for the government’s earlier scheme made it next to impossible for those interested in applying to access the fund – something that caused consternation among fleets – so it is presumably unallocated and still potentially available.”
Hollick added that AFP members also had ongoing concerns about potholes, which often caused damage to company vehicles.
He said: “This was a problem recognised in the last Budget with an extra £500 million allocated but identifying where this money is being spent is difficult because the condition of our roads doesn’t appear to be noticeably improving. We’d like to see more visible progress.”
