As the UK moves toward the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles, Freedom of Information data has highlighted striking differences in electric vehicle uptake across local authority fleets.
The data, acquired by Geotab, shows that Bristol leads with 44.5% of its fleet being electrified, closely followed by Liverpool (43.3%) and Leeds (27.8%).
Manchester (26.8%) and Glasgow (25.8%) also show steady progress but at the other end of the scale, Transport for London (TfL) lags significantly, with just 3.2% of its heavy goods vehicles and vans running on electric power.
The data further shows that fuel-cell vehicles are entirely absent across the surveyed fleets, while plug-in hybrids make up less than 1%. Liverpool reported the highest uptake of hybrid-electric vehicles (29.5%), with Bristol following at 20%.
Geotab’s analysis warns that such uneven progress risks undermining national climate goals, while also missing opportunities for improved efficiency and cost savings.
Its Taking Charge report (2024), which studied more than 1.3 million vehicles, found that over a seven-year lifespan, switching from an internal combustion engine to an EV could save fleets over £10,000 per vehicle.
Beyond cost and emissions, the findings stress the importance of data-driven fleet management. For large urban fleets—particularly those supporting last-mile delivery and essential services—telematics, route optimisation, and predictive maintenance will be critical to scaling adoption. Even partial electrification can deliver tangible gains, from reduced downtime to improved air quality in high-pollution zones.
Aaron Jarvis, Associate Vice President for Geotab EMEA said: ‘Electrifying fleets at scale can be a difficult challenge, especially for city councils that will need to ensure they have the necessary charging infrastructure in place to support these vehicles. Progress across the board is uneven, and many fleets will risk falling short of the targets needed to decarbonise urban city transport.
‘That said, it’s positive to see some of the early movers in the UK setting the benchmark for what’s possible as we make the transition to net zero. We’re seeing more fleets adopt data-driven fleet management, which is an encouraging sign that operators are placing high priority on the transition to net zero. Tools like fleet telematics can make the difference in optimising route planning, performance monitoring and cutting unnecessary emissions from practices like idling.
‘The key isn’t aiming for 100% EV overnight, but taking pragmatic, data-driven steps: identifying which vehicles to electrify first, optimising routes and reducing unnecessary emissions. Combining these insights with a clear commitment to electrification will allow councils to make faster, smarter progress, while supporting the last-mile transition in dense urban areas.’
Photo: Possessed Photography
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