Electric, Hybrid and Alternative Fuel Vehicles - the future of driving?
Publish date: 04/01/2021
For the past two years there has been an increased shift towards electrification as fleet managers meet sustainability goals and new environmental regulations whilst the Government heavily incentivises newer, cleaner vehicles as part of its 15-year Road to Zero strategy.
Demand for EVs within fleets has grown rapidly in 2020. No longer considered a niche or just the car of choice of early adopters willing to pay a premium, a new wave of Electric Vehicles (EV’s) are available in more segments and at a lower price range than ever before. Battery production costs have fallen yet range improves, and the government’s ongoing investment in boosting the public charging infrastructure for electric vehicles has removed charge point anxiety on long journeys. Add 0% BIK tax to the list of user benefits, and company car drivers are feeling more confident in the personal financial implications of their decision to take an EV.
The Coronavirus pandemic has only amplified the situation. New ways of working mean commuters no longer commute, public transport is out of favour and underutilised company cars sitting on driveways no longer feel like a great perk. EV’s are looking more attractive than ever as part of a modern mobility solution.
According to the SMMT, sales of BEVs rose from 7,704 in September 2019 to 21,903 in September 2020, a 184% increase, and electric vehicles now represent 7% of market share in the UK. So far this year, 66,611 pure-electric cars have been sold in the UK, up from 25,097 at the same point in 2019 – a 165% increase.
This rapid growth in EVs has had an incidental effect on the repairer industry. In the past year, FMG has repaired of over 1000 EVs with capacity for more. We have been taking proactive steps to prepare for this major market change for a number of years, investing time, resource and expertise in bodyshop repairer relationships and supporting their transition from PAS125 to BS10125, the industry’s most credible quality standard. This means over 275 of our repairers have the full capability - machinery, tools, training and skill - to carry out high quality EV repair.
Scott Bissett, Head of Network Management,
“We’ve been working closely and proactively with our network of repairers to ensure we have the repair capacity and capability to maintain a high quality and sustainable vehicle repair supply which continually meets our customers’ evolving needs. Ongoing developments in manufacturing practices and vehicle technology have changed the nature of maintenance and repair yet we remain a step ahead of market trends thanks to the strength, coverage and experience of our repairer network.
The UK government has ambitiously set the stage for a huge rollout of infrastructure to support large-scale electric vehicle adoption and FMG has the depth of experience, expertly trained people and the right systems and infrastructure to confidently embrace this growing market and continually deliver an effortless driver and customer journey.”