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Decarbonisation
What is it, and why is it important?
Andy Hill, Lex Autolease's Commercial Vehicle Engineer, answers key questions and explores the way forward.
Decarbonisation is the term used for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by switching to or using low carbon sources, such as electricity. It’s crucial to help save the environment and support our customers’ sustainability goals.
For Lex Autolease, this means leading and helping our customers plan and transition their fleet to electric vehicles, guided by the Government’s zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate.
We look at the questions and considerations that we help our customers to navigate.
Charging infrastructure
Commercial vehicles are constantly on the road and likely have little access to overnight charging if they take their vehicles home.
How can we overcome this?
Vehicle ranges vs payload
Increasing battery capacity adds weight, reducing the vehicle’s payload.
What options or policies are there in place to offset this?
Specialised vehicles
Vehicles adapted for specific jobs, such as utility vehicles with equipment, face more challenges in battery power and charging.
Is an electric power source suitable for these jobs?
Driver training and data
Efficient driving and the use of telematics are essential for maximising range and identifying suitable vehicles for transition.
How can we select the right vehicles, and how can we educate drivers?
We also share our view on leading themes from industry experts:
- Electric vehicles (EVs): The primary focus stays on electric vehicles, with continuous improvements in battery technology and charging infrastructure.
- Hydrogen as an alternative: While hydrogen is being explored by companies like Stellantis, the infrastructure is still lacking and expensive to develop (it would need temperature-controlled tanks underground, similar to petrol and diesel at a station). Clean hydrogen production is also costly.
So, where do we go from here?
Lex Autolease will continue to work with those setting the policies, enabling our customers to have access to the latest advances through our partnerships and relationships with manufacturers and suppliers. We’re working towards delivering a data-led approach using telematics to make informed decisions about vehicle transitions, fleet capabilities and driving efficiency.
What’s next – what do we see coming down the pipeline?
- Continued infrastructure development: A focus on expanding and improving charging infrastructure, particularly in regions like Wales and Ireland that are currently underserved.
- Advancements in battery technology: Ongoing improvements in battery efficiency and capacity.
- Vehicle advances: Vehicle technology changes to allow faster battery charge times, leading to small batteries and improved payloads, helping reduce the price of vehicles.
- Exploration of hydrogen: While still in its early stages, hydrogen may become a viable option for large fleets with depot-based operations.
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