Andrew Hogsden, senior manager, strategic fleet consultancy at Lex Autolease, looks at a more environmentally friendly future.

The desire to move towards a more environmentally-friendly future is driving the majority of companies to operate greener fleets.

What’s more, they increasingly have the products and cost-saving incentives to do so effectively. That’s one of the key findings of the Lex Autolease Report on Company Motoring, examining the current state of play in the UK’s fleet sector.  

More than 250 fleet managers were surveyed for the report and 80% identified the environmental impact of their fleet as an important issue, with almost three-quarters saying it has grown in importance in the last two years.

When we consider the legislative and manufacturing trends in that time, it makes sense to see green fleet policies top corporate agendas. The green agenda is particularly noticeable in vehicle choice, where low-CO2 models deliver benefit-in-kind savings for both employer and the employee.  

The Government move to provide a longer-term view on taxation has helped forward planning and more companies are looking at the composition of their fleets for long-term sustainability – both environmentally and financially.

Additionally, as UK and EU regulators continue to raise the bar on emissions targets, vehicle manufacturers consistently exceed them by producing innovative and increasingly accessible products.

There’s been a lot of buzz about ‘electric vehicles’ in recent years, but it’s just one example of innovation that’s now on the road to becoming a reality for many fleets of the future.   

In the meantime, more companies are likely to focus on low-emission vehicles, which typically offer fuel and cost savings. Petrol vehicles have particularly gained prominence as a smarter choice.

Since 2010, the average CO2 emissions of new petrol cars on the Lex Autolease fleet has fallen from 150g/km to
125g/km. Cleaner, more fuel-efficient petrol models have started to feature in company policies and diesel-only policies are becoming less relevant.    

Our research reinforces the fact that companies are seeing the benefits of going green. How are you gearing up to go green?