New research underscoring the urgency to accelerate on-street charging infrastructure for van fleet electrification is now out from Vauxhall.

Over a fifth of fleet operators say lack of adequate on-street charging is the main barrier to going electric

More than nine in 10 (91%) UK business fleet operators surveyed said drivers would be reliant on residential charging if they switch to a fully electric fleet.

And over a fifth (23%) of fleet operators say the lack of adequate on-street charging is the main barrier to going electric today.

The need for improvements in public charging infrastructure was highlighted further by the fact that 81% of businesses said it would be problematic to install EV charging provisions at their operating bases.

The research, carried out among businesses from a range of industries nationwide, also found that 84% of fleet operators have at least one electric van currently on their fleet, and of those who don’t, 90% say they are planning to welcome an electric van onto their fleet within the next year.

And while businesses say it wouldn’t be practical to adopt an all-electric fleet any earlier than late 2028, 90% are planning to be fully electric before 2035, the date currently set for the UK government’s planned ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles.

Eight in 10 (83%) of fleet operators already running electric vans highlight benefits to their business, while 91% say switching to an all-electric fleet would positively impact public perception.

The study, presented in the new Vauxhall Electric Van Adoption Report, highlights the growing reliance of UK businesses on residential EV charging infrastructure to make the electric transition.

Some 40% of UK households do not have driveways and therefore are reliant on the public charging network, but research by the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) previously identified that this rises to around 65-70% of van drivers that need kerbside charging installed.

Eurig Druce, group managing director, Stellantis UK, said: “Charging at home or work is incredibly convenient, and the charging network on Britain’s major roads is improving at a very rapid pace, however, to ensure fleet operators are comfortable moving to electric, councils need to work with charge point operators to install charge points on residential roads that need it most.”

Vauxhall, which supplies electric vans to major UK fleets such as Openreach and British Gas, launched its Electric Streets of Britain campaign to help advance the rollout of kerbside charging.

The ongoing campaign asks residents, businesses and fleet operators to register their on-street charging needs. This information is then passed to local authorities for them to make more informed decisions on where to install new chargers.

Druce added: “Last year, research we conducted with Cenex demonstrated that only 19% of all households who need it are close to a public charge point. It is only when this figure increases that businesses and fleet operators will feel confident in their transition towards electrification.”

Electric van uptake continues to grow, with registrations of new eLCVs rising 55.1% in February to take a 9.7% share of the new van market. More than 75,000 electric vans are now estimated to be on the road.

The UK also now has more than 75,000 public chargers, helped in part by the continued rollout of the Government’s Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund for councils.

But 72% of the UK’s on-street chargers are found in Greater London, highlighting the need for a more targeted approach to installation to allow access to power nationwide.

Vauxhall’s full research on fleets’ electrification plans and charging needs has been published in the new Vauxhall Electric Van Adoption Report, available to download and read from Vauxhall’s website: electricstreets.co.uk.