Fleet Friendly Charging Index

The BVRLA Fleet Friendly Charging Index provides a high-level overview of how much progress local authorities (LAs) across the UK have made on their local charging infrastructure plans. Fleets play a central role in the transition to zero emission transport and the Index gives stakeholders a snapshot of how much focus they are currently being given.

Fleet Friendly Charging Index

Based on a series of Freedom of Information requests in Q4 2022, the Fleet Friendly Charging Index presents a picture of how ‘fleet friendly’ the UK’s current EV infrastructure plans are, at a local level. Local authorities across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland shared details on what, if any, EV infrastructure plans they currently have in place.

Results also outline where the fleet sector has been consulted in the development of such plans, as well as where resources are being made available to support fleet transition to electric vehicles.

How to use

Once the map has loaded, double click on a local authority to view their local results and see how they compare against the national picture. Separate maps can be viewed for:

Presence of an EV strategy
Evidence of fleet engagement
Existence of resources for fleets

Where available, contact details for the team responsible for the regional EV strategy are provided. BVRLA members are encouraged to reach out to their local decision makers to begin collaborative discussions about how fleet needs can be met.

About the Index

The BVRLA’s membership of over 1,000 companies engaged in vehicle rental, leasing and fleet management is leading the charge to bring, clean, green transport solutions to UK roads right now. They can only do that effectively with the support of local authorities and national government. The electric vehicle ecosystem is a fragile one. Drivers need access to a fast, affordable, reliable and secure charging infrastructure. There is no one-size-fits-all approach for this, especially when considering the varied needs of fleets up and down the country.

The Fleet Friendly Charging Index was designed to enable the close collaboration this challenge requires. Drivers, fleet operators, charge point operators, distribution network operators, local authorities (LAs) and national government, must come together to develop a charging infrastructure that works for all road users.

The Index is the launchpad to create the best possible charging network that works for all parties.

What it tells us

The results (from Q4 2022 data) show that:

37% of local authorities currently have an EV strategy
Just 3% of local authorities have clearly engaged with, or considered the needs of, the fleet sector; over 40% have not engaged with the fleet sector to date

21% of local authorities have a clear contact and support materials/processes. One third have neither

Next steps for the BVRLA

In conjunction with our Fleet Charging Guide, we will be engaging with local authorities the length and breadth of the UK. The Index highlights where collaboration is most needed, while the Fleet Charging Guide outlines a number of key recommendations to help local authorities in making the first steps to a fleet friendly EV infrastructure plan.

Through work with central government, alongside regional engagement, the BVRLA will push for fleet needs to be considered at every level. With continued, considered collaboration, EV charging infrastructure decisions can be made to create a network that is suitable for all users, all over the UK.

Next steps for you

The Fleet Friendly Charging Index enables you to understand which LAs are working closely with fleets and crucially where there are named contact that you might be able to reach out to. We encourage all fleets to use it as a tool in their interactions with LAs and other stakeholders.

The Index is also a living resource that the BVRLA will be updating continually, if there are LAs that require updated ratings, please reach out to [email protected]. We would love to deepen our understanding of LA activities; FOIs are only able to convey so much.

How to help shape Local Authority plans

The BVRLA updated its Fleet Charging Guide to help local authorities as they try to meet the diverse charging needs of electric fleets. With the roll-out of charging infrastructure increasingly being devolved to local government, the association’s new ‘Fleet Charging Guide’ highlights some key fleet use cases and how they can best be supported on their zero emission journey.