Implementing zero-emission policies will be the number one issue facing fleets over the next three years, according to new research.

Almost four out of 10 (39%) fleet decision-makers named the move to zero-emission policies as their biggest challenge

Almost four out of 10 (39%) fleet decision-makers cited this as their biggest challenge, followed by adapting to low emissions zones (38%), adjusting to restrictive public policies on petrol and diesel (37%) and mitigating against rising vehicle whole-life costs (31%).

The figures are taken from the 2024 Arval Mobility Observatory Barometer, which questioned 8,605 businesses in 30 countries about their vehicle operations.

Shaun Sadlier, head of Arval Mobility Observatory in the UK, said: “There are a wide range of challenges currently facing fleets, almost certainly more than at any point in the history of the sector, and the results for this question in the Barometer show which are weighing most heavily on the minds of decision makers.

“Overall, these difficulties are rated by fleets in much the same order as when asked last year, showing that the issues which our sector faces are persisting. Progress is being made in all of these areas, something that we see every day at Arval UK, but none are likely to be resolved very quickly.”

Other challenges included encouraging more responsible driving among employees (30%), managing longer vehicle delivery times 29%), adjusting to new home and office working patterns (22%) and implementing mobility solutions such as car sharing (16%).

“Unsurprisingly, the highest rated answers relate to the transition of zero emissions vehicles, in terms of their implementation through fleet and government policies, and handling them in an operational sense when it comes to low emissions zones, accounting for all of the top three answers. While huge strides are being made here, these are subjects that we expect to continue to dominate the fleet agenda for the next few years.”

Sadlier added that the research also showed the continuing effects of some of the issues that have followed in the wake of the pandemic, such as much extended vehicle delivery times and the impact of hybrid working.

“These are now facts of everyday life in fleet management terms, but there is still some discussion about the best solutions and strategies to apply to them, an area in which we are closely involved from a consultancy point of view at Arval UK.

“Finally, core fleet management issues are also mentioned, especially encouraging more responsible driving and mitigating rising total cost of ownership (TCO). Certainly, there is ongoing interest from fleets in increasing the effectiveness of risk management policies, and higher TCO figures for all vehicle types are a concern for almost everyone.”

Which are the most important challenges facing fleets in the next three years (choose any three)?

Implementing alternative fuel technologies                                                          39%

Adapting to the expansion of low emissions zones in urban areas            38%

Adapting to restrictive public policies on petrol and diesel                        37%

Mitigating the increase of total cost of ownership of vehicles                                31%

Inducing more responsible driving among employees                                          30%

Managing longer vehicle delivery times                                                               29%

Adjusting to new home and office working patterns                                              22%

Adapting to new car retail models (such as buying from the manufacturer)            22%

Implementing other mobility solutions (eg car sharing)                                         16%