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Jan 08 2025

Regulatory alignment in UK will boost electric van adoption

Business group Logistics UK believes that the government’s Zero emission vans: regulatory flexibility consultation (which will run until 3 March 2025) will provide the opportunity to deliver regulatory alignment between 4.25 tonne electric vans and 3.5 tonne diesel vans, as well as preventing legacy legislation from inhibiting the uptake of electric vehicles in the future. Logistics UK Head of Infrastructure and Planning Policy, Jonathan Walker explains more:

“The current situation, where 4.25 tonne electric vans are treated as HGVs in terms of MOT and driver hours requirements, is nonsensical and is limiting the adoption of cleaner electric vehicles. The vehicles are the same size and used to perform the same tasks as traditional vans: it is only the extra weight from the batteries which moves them into a heavier weight category.

“From an operational point of view, the vehicles are the same and aligning regulations will make it easier to integrate electric vehicles into fleets. Removing the requirement for tachographs and drivers’ hours restrictions that are intended for HGVs means there would be no disruption to shift patterns. In addition, annual roadworthiness checks could be carried out in the comprehensive MOT network instead of the heavy vehicle testing system. Read more

 

Source: LOGISTICS UK