Barriers face UK fleets adopting new technology: survey

One in three cars in United Kingdom fleets will have plug-in and all-electric capabilities by 2022, fleet managers say.

That will rise to one in every two cars by 2027, the Kia Motors (UK) 2017 Fleet Market Attitudes report shows.

But barriers exist to quick adoption.

One in two fleet managers (55%) are unconvinced current charging infrastructure warrants full investment in the new technology at this stage, the survey of 150 fleet managers reveals.
Of those yet to adopt, many believe the UK’s charging infrastructure will improve by 2021, along with battery life and charging times.

Two in three respondents admit their organisation is nervous about buying a petrol/diesel car without an electric powertrain following July reports that solely petrol and diesel cars may be banned from 2040.

And seven in ten believe fully autonomous vehicles will result in fewer accidents, costing their fleet less.

Fleet managers who don’t currently have a PHEV/EV within their fleet, believe they will do so within an average of four years.

Reasons behind delayed adoption, include 41% feeling that PHEVs/EVs look unprofessional, while 35% cite that the UK’s charging infrastructure is a barrier, with 27% believing that PHEVs/EVs are too expensive.

One in five (20%) felt that they did not yet understand enough about the technology, showing that more information across the industry is needed.

Fleet managers with PHEVs/EVs say they are good for the environment (67%), cheaper in the long run (67%) – at odds with fleet managers who don’t own a PHEV/EV who believe they are too expensive – and that the charging infrastructure is good in their area (58%).

This is followed by four in ten (43%) who believe they are more attractive than regular cars and 41% who state that there is demand from employees to drive them.
Car technology is being taken up, the report shows.

‘Assisted driving’ vehicles feature in 23% of the organisations surveyed, with this anticipated to increase to 51% by 2027.

Similarly, ‘semi-autonomous driving’ vehicles feature in 19% of organisations, increasing to an average of 51% in ten years’ time.

Most fleet managers (93%) see challenges facing fully autonomous vehicles. Identifying who is liable in the case of an insurance claim (56%) and the cost in updating roads and motorways so that they are compatible (47%) are major concerns.

In addition, around 76% of respondents think that the greatest challenge facing fully-autonomous driving lies in changes to culture – with employees expected to work longer hours while commuting.

Despite these barriers, many respondents believe that fully autonomous vehicles offer significant benefits. The majority (74%) agree that these vehicles will result in fewer accidents– potentially saving fleet costs and increasing road user safety, while 64% believe that their fleet would be cheaper to maintain.
UK fleets have an average of 126 cars, with a lifespan of three years.