According to the annual Motorparc data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), one in every 32 cars on UK roads now comes with a plug, with 1.1 million electric cars now in use – up by more than 50% over the past year, accounting for 3.1% of the vehicle parc. This is a significant shift towards the adoption of electric vehicles in the UK.
Despite the overall increase in vehicles on the road, average car and van CO2 emissions have fallen by 1.6%, driven by the influx of new lower and zero-emission models. Ownership of electric commercial vehicles has also risen, with vans up some 67.3% and buses and coaches increasing by 34.9%, while the number of zero-emission trucks has almost trebled since last year.
The adoption of electric vehicles is a positive development in reducing the UK's carbon footprint. At Advanced Vehicle Contracts, we are committed to contributing to this cause by offering a range of electric and hybrid vehicles for lease. We believe that every business has a role to play in creating a sustainable future, and one way to achieve this is by choosing greener vehicle options.
However, the public charge point rollout continues to lag behind EV uptake, with one standard public charger for every 36 plug-in cars on the road, down from 31 in 2021. This lack of infrastructure is a significant barrier to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. At Advanced Vehicle Contracts, we offer our customers advice on charging infrastructure, including the best charging solutions for their business and the installation of suitable charging points.
We believe that investment in charging infrastructure is essential to support the uptake of electric vehicles. Deployment of infrastructure appropriate for commercial vehicles would energise uptake of the latest electric vehicles, accelerate fleet renewal to take older units off the road, and help reduce the UK’s carbon footprint.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “With exciting new technologies and models fuelling our appetite to get back behind the wheel, now is the time to commit to greater investment in infrastructure and incentives, to speed up a switch to carbon-free mobility that is accessible to all.”
At Advanced Vehicle Contracts, we understand that businesses need access to a range of vehicle leasing options that meet their specific requirements. We offer a range of flexible and affordable leasing solutions to help businesses move towards a greener future. Our fleet of electric and hybrid vehicles includes options for small businesses, large corporations, and everything in between.
The UK's most popular cars are superminis and small family (lower medium) models, which account for nearly six in 10 cars in service, at 11,620,116 and 9,214,039 units, respectively. Two in three cars in use are manual transmission, while 67.2% of cars driven in the UK were made in the EU and 15% were built in Britain.
At Advanced Vehicle Contracts, we pride ourselves on offering a personalised service to our customers. We work closely with each business to understand their needs and provide tailored vehicle leasing solutions. Our team of experts can help businesses make the transition to greener vehicles, offering advice on everything from charging infrastructure to vehicle selection.
In conclusion, the future of vehicle leasing in the UK is electric. The adoption of electric vehicles is a positive development in reducing the UK's carbon footprint. At Advanced Vehicle Contracts, we are committed to supporting businesses in their transition to greener vehicles. We believe that investing in electric and hybrid vehicles is essential to creating a sustainable future for generations to come.