Toby Poston, director of corporate affairs BVRLA, contemplates what the next six and a half years holds for the automotive market.

Toby Poston, BVRLA director of corporate affairs

The spotlight is firmly on 2030. Recent weeks have seen a drip feed of anti-EV stories in the mainstream press turn into a tidal wave. Calls for the Government to rethink its phase-out deadlines for the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans have become louder.

Our sector has always led the way in adopting new technologies and bringing cleaner, greener vehicles to our roads. The phase-out deadline gives a consistent target that can be achieved through effective planning by businesses and targeted support from Government.

Collective confidence in those timings is what will drive further progress.

Investments are reliant on that confidence and run into the tens of millions of pounds from the fleet sector alone. When factoring in charging infrastructure and UK manufacturing, we are talking about billions.

The relationship between these investments and day-to-day fleet financing is symbiotic. The costs to source, manage and defleet vehicles enable efficient fleet management and dictate what funds can be reinvested. Transitioning a fleet to zero-emission vehicles requires those numbers to add up. Businesses can only plan effectively when goalposts are set.

The Government has said it is sticking to its original plans, a view shared by many in the automotive sector who appreciate the certainty that it has provided to fleets and other road users.

This year is clearly going to be a pivotal one.

The BVRLA’s Fleets in Charge Conference returns this month at the QEII Centre in Westminster. It will bring together policy makers, suppliers, and innovators to explore the latest advances in vehicle technology and net zero challenges. All industry stakeholders are welcome.

Covering all aspects of fleet decarbonisation, the agenda boasts keynote speeches from a quartet of experts who will share their learnings from the frontline of EV leadership. Vehicle rental, leasing, and fleet management will be tackled in turn, following a wider update on how the UK’s progress compares on a global scale.

Separate panels on charging, the retail sector and powertrain solutions spanning electric and hydrogen will give delegates a full appreciation of where the fleet sector is driving decarbonisation. For the first time, we will also be running a masterclass session that will provide a closer look at how Coventry City Council is decarbonising the city, what steps it’s taking to accommodate fleet users and how it’s engaging to meet fleet needs.

The conference will also see the launch of the BVRLA’s Road to Zero Report Card, alongside unparalleled networking opportunities and the chance to hear from an array of industry suppliers. Tickets are available now, with full details at fleetsincharge.co.uk.

Only by having open discussions about the challenges ahead can we provide clear input to government and shape the future of our sector. We look forward amplifying those discussions with you in September.

For details of the BVRLA’s Fleets in Charge Conference, please click here.