SSE have called for mandatory switching of fleets to electric by 2030 in a letter to the Department for Transport (DfT).
In the letter – which is addressed to parliamentary under secretary of state for transport Rachel Maclean – SSE calls on the government to implement a “clear deadline” of 2030 for corporate fleets to electrify in its upcoming Transport Decarbonisation Plan.
This follows on from the company supporting a 2030 date for the end of sales of internal combustion engine vehicles.
In the letter, Alistair Phillips-Davies, SSE chief executive, pointed to challenges such as charging infrastructure and availability of vehicles, as well as that corporate fleet decarbonisation may happen unevenly, “with some companies not playing their part in the coming years”.
Commitments from the government on corporate fleets will help to reduce the costs and address potential barriers, Phillips-Davies said, signalling upcoming demand to electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers to support the delivery of EVs into the UK market and helping to support the deployment of public EV charging.
SSE has already committed to decarbonising 3,500 vehicles from its own fleet by 2030 through the Climate Group’s EV100 scheme, with Phillips-Davies pointing to how SSE’s fleet operates in remote locations such as the Highlands and islands of Scotland, proving their efficacy throughout the nation. This, he said, backs up SSE’s belief that all corporate fleets can achieve full decarbonisation by 2030.
“Whilst it initially comes at a cost, we view our customers and shareholders will support our positive commitments to do the right thing and help deliver on UK decarbonisation goals including the 5th Carbon Budget,” Phillips-Davies said.
