ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: Navigating the ULEZ and CAZ challenge

Date: Tuesday, July 4, 2023

The increasing prevalence of Clean Air Zones – as well as the extension of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone at the end of August – is becoming a particular headache for businesses operating commercial fleets. Here Keith Shorter, director, Europcar Vans & Trucks, looks at some of the options for commercial fleet managers as they balance operational needs with sustainability targets.

“The life of a commercial fleet manager is not an easy one. Daily operating tasks, from driver training and logistics to vehicle condition and maintenance, are par for the course. But the pressure to move to low and zero emissions fleets adds another challenge. And for many businesses there are now additional costs if vehicles don’t comply with Clean Air and Ultra Low Emission zones.

“We all want to reduce emissions, but the economic realities are tough to balance at this point.

Taking the long view

“What we are seeing at Europcar Vans & Trucks is the role rental, and particularly long-term rental from three months to two years, can play in filling fleet gaps as well as reducing environmental impact.

“The Europcar network of 13 specialist Supersites, located in key business conurbations across the country, provide a convenient local resource for organisations to access a fleet of up-to-date, maintained and compliant commercial vehicles. These centres, staffed by commercial vehicle experts, also provide valuable support and assistance for specialist vehicle needs as well as help organisations take the first steps into low and zero emissions.

Dispelling the ‘unknowns’

“The ‘unknowns’ of electric motoring are especially challenging as organisations try to understand what’s the right fit for right now – as well as planning for the future. Businesses are keen to ‘try before they buy’ to truly understand what electric motoring means in real world conditions. For example, the impact of payloads on battery life and the feasibility of charging in a daily schedule.

The Europcar road to zero

“Europcar is supporting many organisations on their sustainability journeys, first reducing emissions with younger, more modern vans, before moving to fully electric. And for the transition to zero, Europcar long-term van rental provides a valuable stepping stone to full EV adoption, including the option for CO2 reporting for crucial insight into emissions reduction.

To find out more about how Europcar can support your organisation’s commercial vehicle needs visit europcar.co.uk/business or call 0371 384 0140

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