Post Election Environmental Legislation Expected to Boost Electric Van Sales

The predicted rise in environmentally focused legislation following the general election is being seen as good news by electric vehicle manufacturers and suppliers. They are hoping it will lead to an increase in the take-up of electric vehicles. It is expected that the move towards lower emission vehicles will be encouraged by whomever wins the election.



Labour has previously proposed tax breaks for electric vehicle fleets in order to encourage the transition to electric vehicles where possible. There are of course many obstacles to going electric for a lot of van users such as the reduced mileage and lack of topping up points. Those who cannot update to an electric fleet until these issues are worked out will be looking towards vehicles with lower emissions and low running costs.

Boris Johnson has warned of his plans to charge vehicles with excessive emissions which wish to enter the congestion zone in central London. This plan was designed to encourage those still running older commercial vehicles to upgrade to new vans or even new fleets. This move is also being welcomed by van manufacturers as it is expected to speed up people's plans to upgrade to newer vehicles.

Commercial Vans Likely to Dominate Electric Vehicle Market

So far electric vehicles have made little impact on the commercial market. Excluding the humble milk float few commercial vehicle fleets feature electric vans or cars. A new report by Frost & Sullivan predicts that the commercial sector will account for "70 per cent of the electric vehicle market in the EU and North America by 2015".



The limitations of the current crop of electric vehicles have so far prevented them from being widely used in the commercial sector. so far they are less reliable and harder to run than the traditional vans for sale. Improvements are expected as the technology advances over the coming years and this is likely to have a big effect on popularity. With this in mind Frost & Sullivan see the commercial sector leading the way and accounting for well over half of all new electric vehicle sales.

Proposed tax breaks for electric vans may make those operating traditional vans consider investing in new fleets. Buses are also prime candidates to be replaced: their repetitive routes mean that charging could be less of an issue. Bus routes tend to begin and end at the bus station which means that they can be charged on a day-to-day bases unlike long haul trucks and lorries.

Mercedes-Benz To Lauch Electric Van

Mercedes Benz have announced their plans to manufacture an electric van this year. The van will be based on the Mercedes Benz Vito and will be 'world’s first with electric drive system ex factory' which means it will come off the production line battery powered rather than being converted. The initial deployment will be limited, around 100 vans are expected to be sold in 2010 to 20 fleet customers.



Mercedes announced their plans this week in San Sebastian says that they will make up to 2000 of the electric vehicles. They will have the same load carrying capabilities as the non-electric Vito although they will require recharging every 130 km. This makes the van ideal for urban use but not long distances.

Government Announces Tax Breaks for Electric Vehicle Fleets

As predicted Alistair Darling's pre-Budget report included proposed tax breaks for owners electric vehicles. As my last post pointed out, the best way to get people to buy more eco friendly vehicles is to keep their prices down. Most people would be willing to drive a less polluting vehicles as long as the price is right. The report also contained good news for those operating van and car fleets who will also benefit from tax breaks.



The proposed tax breaks will encourage commercial and fleet buyers to upgrade to electric vehicles where possible. By avoiding company car tax fleet owners could make big saving by going green. Those operating in London will be financially punished for running older vans within the congestion zone.

“This will make business buyers much more interested in electric cars and vans,” Paul Everitt, CEO Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders

Unfortunately electric vehicles are not yet a viable alternative for many fleet operators due to their inability to travel long distances in between charges. Major technological advancements need to happen before electric vehicles can take over from traditional vans for the majority of commercial enterprises.

White Van Man Will Go Green, When The Price Is Right

With the Copenhagen Climate change conference opening today it seems like a good time to talk about the future of the commercial vehicles industry. The white van of the future clearly needs to be green. This is obviously problematic as most individuals and small businesses are hesitant to upgrade their fleets during a recession, another problem is that environmental friendly vans have yet to be perfected.

A recent survey by Swinton Insurance has shown that White Van men (and women) are keen to use more environmentally friendly vans and fuel but, as Bruce would say, the price needs to be right. Of those questioned 73% would consider buying a more energy efficient vehicle as they're next purchase and 87% would turn to more environmentally friendly fuel if doing so were cost effective.



Those with van fleets and those looking at vans for sale were happy to consider Bio Fuel, More fuel-efficient engines and Low CO2 emitting engines. They were however concerned about cost with 64% considering it the most important factor. The popularity (in a sense) of congestion zones and fines for less environmentally friendly vans may lead to green vans being the most cost effective choice.

Sainsbury's Expandes Electric Vans Fleet

Sainsbury's have invested in 50 new electric vans which to be used for home deliveries. The supermarket now has a fleet of 70 more eco friendly vehicles which they say will be used for 60% of deliveries in central London.

'This is cracking news from Sainsbury's which will help deliver to Londoners not only their groceries, but all the benefits of going electric, such as cleaner air and fewer carbon emissions.' -Boris Johnson

Whilst electric vehicles do not yet have the ability to cover as much distance as traditional vans they are ideally suited to inner city deliveries.

What Does Your Van Smell Like?

The designers of the new Mitsubishi's PX-MiEV hybrid concept have taken into consideration more than just the look and feel of the vehicle, they claim its interior is friendly on the nose as well as the behind.

Mitsubishi's new enhanced "cocochi" interior package offers an unparalleled array of technologies that both pamper the nose and use the olfactory capability as a tool. The PX-MiEV's upholstery is coated with an anti-allergen coating and visible light photocatalyst which Mitsubishi claims counteracts offensive odors, volatile organic compounds as well as ticks, pollen and other allergens.
In another layer of protection against unpleasant fragrances, each of the car's four seats are individually air-conditioned to increase air circulation.

Source: Independent

I can see the benefit of this for those who suffer from allergies but for the rest of us it might be a little over the top. Whilst this technology has gain Mitsubishi some good press it isn't the kind of technology we can expect to see in all vans and cars anytime soon.

I have often thought about selling a Van fragrance to try and capture the smell that weeks on the road and countless motorway pasties can produce. Whenever I have to use a hire van I find its cleanliness less welcoming than a good old lived in white van. The smell may be unpleasant to some but when you call a van home you learn to love it.

Electric vans..a viable alternative?

The Guardian as an interesting article about a new wave of electric vans aimed at the commercial market:

"Range is an issue for our customers," explains George Smith, brand manager for Harris Van Centre who, after years of selling conventional trucks and vans, is convinced electric is the future. "But not as big an issue as you might think. When we first spoke to UPS about using electric vans on their courier routes in London, they looked at their mileage and worked out that the average distance travelled in the capital was 14 miles per day." Most commercial electric vehicles can cover about 100 miles on one six-hour charge.

Whilst this is an interesting idea I don't think many companies could make use of a van with such a limited range. There are clearly exceptions (such as local deleviery companies) but it is a shame that electric vans cannot yet compete with their traditional counterparts.