Magazines

Welcome to this issue of GreenFleet, which focuses on helping organisations that have not yet begun their EV journey.

With lots of essential information to get you started, inside you’ll find a feature on how to get the most out of an EV from Guinness World Record holder Kevin Booker, an article on how to counter EV misinformation - which is becoming an onerous task for fleet managers, as well as practical advice on charging infrastructure, grants and more.

This issue also looks at how the commercial vehicle sector is progressing towards net-zero, with features on zero emission HGVs, hydrogen vans, last mile deliveries, and a preview of the Commercial Vehicle Show.

GF100 MOST INFLUENTIAL 2024

GREENFLEET'S pick of the stand-out individuals that have made a significant contribution to fleet and transport decarbonisation over the year.

GREENFLEET AWARDS

A close look at winners of the 2023 GREENFLEET Awards, which took place on 7 December at the iconic British Motor Museum.

HAULAGE DECARBONISATION 

Chris Welch, director of GREENFLEET’s award-winning fleet, Welch’s Transport, shares his experience of running an electric truck, and gives advice to other logistics operators looking to decarbonise.

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

An assessment of the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refuelling network and practicalities of running a CNG truck. 

150TH SPECIAL - GREENFLEET HISTORY

A look at how the GreenFleet brand has evolved over its 24 years of publishing.

150TH SPECIAL - TRANSPORT DECARBONISATION

Zemo Partnership's Andy Eastlake reflects on the pivotal moments that have shaped transport decarbonisation 

150TH SPECIAL - FUTURE TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

From AI to zero-emission fuels, we take a look at the future technology trends that will impact fleet management in the future

GREENFLEET AWARDS 2023 PREVIEW

A close look at the fleet organisations, companies and individuals that have been shortlisted for a 2023 GreenFleet Award

ELECTRIC VAN SPECIAL: 
GreenFleet 149 focuses on overcoming the barriers that van fleet operators face when switching to zero-emission vehicles.

LICENCE FLEXIBILITY:
A look at the recent announced changes to the operating requirement for heavier zero-emission vans up to 4.25 tonnes. This includes the removal of the training requirement and allowing vehicles to tow an equal amount to their diesel equivalent.

PROCUREMENT:
Zemo Partnership discusses the challenge of getting consistent and reliable information when buying a new battery electric van. Their investigation has led to a 'wish list' of data requirements that should be included on sales listings for battery electric vans. 

INTERVIEW: FedEx Express UK
Robert Peto from FedEx Express UK explains how the company’s getting on with its global target for 50 per cent of all newly-procured parcel pickup and delivery vehicles to be electric by 2025, rising to all new vehicle orders by 2030. 

INTERVIEW:EVRI
David Landy from Evri explains the company's work creating a sustainable fleet using bio-CNG trucks, electric vans, cargo bikes, and ParcelShops.

TRANSITION TO ELECTRIC SPECIAL

As the 2030 end-date for new petrol and diesel vehicles comes closer, fleet operators will no doubt be preparing for the switch to zero-emission alternatives. This issue of GreenFleet gathers the latest advice and information to help those on the transition to electric.  

PUBLIC CHARGE POINT REGULATIONS

James Court, CEO of EVA England, helps us understand the new Public Charge Point Regulations 2023, which stipulate better reliability, clearer pricing, easier payments, and open data. 

INFRASTRUCTURE

The BVRLA's Catherine Bowen explains how the fleet sector and local authorities can work together to achieve a fleet-friendly charging network

EV SKILLS GAP

Matthew Adams, transport policy manager at the REA discusses the skills that the UK is going to need as we move to electric fleets.

SME DECARBONISATION

The newly formed UK Business Climate Hub is optimised to help SMEs reduce their carbon footprint in areas such as transport and energy. Chris Taylor, net zero director at the Broadway Initiative, explains how it works

WASTE COLLECTION VEHICLES

Grundon Waste Management’s re-powered electric refuse vehicle – which is fuelled by the waste it collects – is the company’s latest innovation to decarbonise its fleet. John Stephens, general manager for logistics, explains the project and other efforts to create a sustainable fleet

RENEWABLE FUELS

Renewable fuels play a crucial short-term role in reducing carbon emissions from HGVs. But what options are best, and how can fleet operators be sure of their sustainability claims? Gloria Esposito, head of sustainability at Zemo Partnership, explains how the Renewable Fuels Assurance Scheme can help

HAULAGE

From electric HGVs to route optimisation and urban delivery centres, transport operators are finding ways to decarbonise the way they work. Chris Welch, commercial and operations director at Welch’s Transport, shares how the industry is making progress

INFRASTRUCTURE SPECIAL: PUBLIC CHARGING
Fleets play a pivotal role in keeping our country running, so it is crucial that their needs are met when charging infrastructure is designed and installed, writes

Matthew Adams, transport policy manager at the REA. Ian Johnston, chair of the recently formed trade association, ChargeUK, explains what the organisation hopes to achieve as the voice of the charging infrastructure industry.

INFRASTRUCTURE SPECIAL: REGULATIONS
We take a detailed look at the draft regulations for public electric vehicle charge points, which stipulate better reliability, clearer pricing, contactless payments and open data. 

EV RALLY 2023 REVIEW
The EV Rally 2023 pushed the boundaries of what's possible this year, with a more challenging route, a more diverse mix of vehicle sizes, and more participants – all with the aim of testing how electric vehicles and public charging infrastructure measure up. So how did the teams get on?

PUBLIC SECTOR SPECIAL - FUNDING

A look at the grants available to support charging infrastructure costs, whether that’s for local authorities rolling out charging in their local areas, or specifically for their own fleet.

PUBLIC SECTOR SPECIAL - INTERVIEW

Angie Lillistone from Nottingham City Council talks about an innovative project which saw the council install bi-directional EV charging, solar and battery energy storage at its depot to create an energy eco-system. 

PUBLIC SECTOR SPECIAL - HEALTHCARE FLEETS

The NHS has committed to reaching net zero by 2040. But decarbonising ambulances poses a particular challenge. We look at the innovation going on in healthcare fleet decarbonisation, including a trial of the Electric Dual Crewed Ambulance.

ELECTRIC VANS

Michelle Gardner from Logistics UK shares insights from the organisation’s Electric Vehicle Report, which explores fleet operators current experiences of transitioning to electric vehicles and highlights the challenges to further uptake.

HYDROGEN 

Hydrogen is expected to play a critical role in the decarbonisation of transport. Clare Jackson, CEO of Hydrogen UK, explains why hydrogen makes a particularly good zero-emission fuel for large and specialist vehicles.

DRONES

Drones can help decarbonise high-emitting industries, such as transport, construction, agriculture and energy, supporting global efforts to achieve net zero targets.

SME DECARBONISATION
To ensure that SMEs have the knowledge and tools to decarbonise their fleet and transport operations, this GreenFleet covers the government grants that are available for small businesses to install EV charging infrastructure, an overview of the resources available on the SME Climate Hub, as well as insight from the Federation of Small Businesses, on the barriers that SMEs are facing. Plus there's advice from our SME Expert Panel 

ACCESSIBILITY OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES
A look at the new report published by Motability and the Energy Saving Trust, which highlights the barriers to making the design of electric vehicles accessible for disabled people and how these could be addressed.

ROAD TEST
First drive of the Toyota Professional Proace Electric, which is found to hold ample practical appeal to fleets and operators wishing to decarbonise

SPECIALIST VEHICLES
Details on the project to launch the UK’s first electric mixer, following a successful three-month trial by Tarmac

LOGISTICS
The Cross River Partnership shares its latest work on supporting the logistics sector in London with alternative, non-road freight modes, including rail and river

CARGO BIKES
Taking cargo bikes mainstream was the theme for the first National Cargo Bike Summit organised by Landor Links and held at the Guildhall in London on 31 March.  Andrew Brown from the Bicycle Association reports

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SHOW REVIEW
The 2023 Commercial Vehicle Show took place at the NEC in Birmingham from 18-20 April and demonstrated the innovation and industry investment going into the decarbonisation agenda

ELECTRIC VEHICLE SPECIAL
Advice and guidance on the smooth transition to an electric fleet, including information on installing charging infrastructure from Chloe Hampton, EV infrastructure strategy specialist at Cenex, electrifying last mile deliveries, and lessons-learnt from GreenFleet's Award-winning fleet mangers.

TRANSPORT DATA
We delve into the government's recent Transport Data Strategy, which sets out how the greater use of transport data will support greater innovation in the sector, improve the way people and goods move, and help meet transport decarbonisation targets. 

ROAD TESTS
Richard Gooding gets behind the wheel of the electric BMW iX and the Lexus NX plug-in hybrid.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE REPORT
With the government aiming to phase out the sale of fossil fuelled trucks, a number of mainstream manufacturers are launching electric heavy-goods-vehicles. We sum up the innovation going on in the sector. Meanwhile Chris Ashley from the Road Haulage Association explains that real world considerations must be considered in government policy if the logistics sector is to meet net zero.

HYDROGEN  
A number of routes now exist to using hydrogen, giving fleet operators a zero-carbon fuel while still having the operational capacity of diesel vehicles. Amanda Lyne from the UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association explains the latest innovation.

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SHOW
A preview of vehicles, exhibitors and speakers at the 2023 Commercial Vehicle Show, which takes place at the NEC in Birmingham at 18-20 April.

GF100 MOST INFLUENTIAL

GREENFLEET’s pick of the one hundred stand-out figures recognised for their role in decarbonising fleet and transport over the past year.

CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE

A Geospatial Commission report identified how better use of location data can help overcome four key challenges to siting chargepoints.

GREENFLEET AWARDS

Meet the winners of the GREENFLEET Awards 2022, celebrating success and innovation in the fleet sector.

PLUS: Road tests, FedEx Express interview, commercial vehicles, and more.

ROAD TO ZERO

What progress has the fleet sector made on its journey to net zero emissions? And what stumbling blocks remain? This 'Road to Zero' special edition of GreenFleet gives the latest updates.
 

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Jacob Roberts from the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology explains why it is still green to operate an electric vehicle, even if it’s charged using the grid which does not have 100 per cent renewable energy. He also explores ways for companies to ensure their EVs are truly zero ‘well-to-wheel’ emission.
 

ROAD TESTS

We get behind the wheel of the updated hydrogen-fuelled Toyota Mirai, the Vauxhall Grandland PHEV and the Kia Sportage 4 PHEV.