Sustainability without electrification, how to keep emissions pointing south

It is vital for fleets to maintain a clear focus on reducing their CO2 emissions, even when EVs are not yet operationally viable. These five actions that any policymaker can implement will help to keep fleets on the trajectory towards carbon neutrality, even if it is at a slower pace.

Mixed and confusing political messages about the transition of cars to zero emission technologies must not divert fleets from their decarbonisation strategies.

Despite the UK Government announcing last week that it would delay the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars to 2035, from its original target of 2030, and the European Commission last year accepting that some cars with internal combustion engines could continue to be sold after its own zero emission deadline, it is imperative for fleets to maintain their trajectory towards carbon net zero operations.

Even when an immediate transition to battery electric cars is not possible for every employee, there are five easy-to-apply measures that will help decision makers to maintain a downward emission trajectory.

1) CAP

Keep faith in reducing emissions by reinforcing your commitment towards a CO2 cap for all new vehicles. Announce you will gradually reduce it annually to take advantage of the latest engine technologies developed by OEMs.

This gives you the space to recommunicate your decarbonisation message each year, while allowing you to keep the scale of the cap decrease up your sleeve, generating both expectation and awareness.

2) CARS

Showcase, through internal communication channels, the features of a specific plug-in hybrid vehicle that can drive +100km on electric charge. Select an appropriate vehicle with your OEM, leasing company and fleet management partners, ensuring it is within your budget requirements. Communicate the message that drivers who take this vehicle will probably manage most of their daily trips on electric, but still have fuel for longer journeys. Do the same with a newly launched combustion engine vehicle that sits under the CO2 CAP to demonstrate that non-hybrid profiles can also offer interesting solutions.

This conveys a message that you are thinking smartly and pragmatically about the relationship between Greenhouse Gas emissions and employees’ daily lifestyles.

3) SUBSIDISE

Many employees won’t go electric because they misunderstand the benefits of installing a home charger. Trigger this process by offering an attractive grant to install a home wall box, so drivers consider the EV option with their families.

This conveys the message that if the company goes the extra mile, employees can do the same.

4) SOCIALISE

There is always a section of an organisation’s workforce who enjoy getting together outside of work. Supporting and suggesting social initiatives linked to sustainability, like walking, hiking, jogging, and cycling are all about pollution-free mobility. Promoting active travel demonstrates that whoever is in charge of the polluting fleet is not a petrolhead.

This conveys a powerful message of sustainability, and reinforces the hope that employees might come up with ideas that contribute to future corporate policy.

5) INFORM

Scope 3 Greenhouse Gas Protocol reporting is just around the corner (2025). Bring your management up to speed on the subject. Compliance with Scope 3 has a direct effect on collecting information from cash-for-car takers, grey fleet drivers, and commuting trips. Structuring policy around the subject today, in order to direct employees tomorrow towards lower-emission vehicles will help greatly.

This shows that as fleet manager you are ahead of the game and that moving company cars to cash allowances, without control, does not come without challenges.

These five points may sound simplistic or over-positive, and they’re certainly not rocket science, but Fleet Logistics’ local account managers have noticed that clients who aren’t reinforcing positive environmental policy communication with action, tend to face more challenging discussions with unions and works councils, and are less flexible when redesigning car lists, ultimately generating a negative impact on TCO. It’s something to think about.