Government failing its own electric fleet commitment


Only 15% of vehicles in the central Government fleet are fully electric, falling well short of its own electrification targets, according to new figures. While 22% of its cars are zero emission, just 4% of vans meet the same standard.

The original pledge, set in 2017, committed to making 25% of central Government fleets electric by 2022, with a complete transition to zero emission by the end of 2027. As of now, progress appears patchy.

Some departments have made significant headway. The DVLA has electrified 88% of its cars and 67% of its vans. In contrast, at the Ministry of Justice, nearly all vans are still diesel-powered, and only 16% of its car fleet is electric.

Government departments and arms-length bodies, including National Highways and the Environment Agency, were required to submit exemption requests from the petrol and diesel vehicle ban by the end of May. Devolved governments, local councils and Crown Dependencies are not bound by this target.

Figures released via a Freedom of Information request suggest these numbers already reflect likely exemptions. This comes despite the previous Government’s claim that it expected to meet the 2027 target. Additional guidance on exemptions was issued by the Department for Transport last year.

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