Fleet managers are being warned by the Freight Transport Association (FTA) that selecting the lowest-emitting van could prove counterproductive.
Data showing the CO2 emissions of all new vans sold in the UK was published for the first time earlier this year by the Government (www.businesslink.gov.uk/vanfueldata).
It was hoped that the data will influence fleet managers pushing them towards buying the lowest-emitting vans.
Over 92% of respondents to a Fleet News survey said the new database would influence their van-buying decisions.
However, fleets have been warned not to base their purchasing decisions on an LCV’s CO2 emissions.
“If the purchase decision was based primarily on CO2 emissions then the required payload or floor space could be compromised, this might then have the negative environmental affect of a requirement for more vans,” explained Lawrie Alford, the FTA strategic business manager.
See this week’s Fleet News for more.