Fleet engagement with the new government consultation on Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) is “essential” to highlight a wide range of potential problems, says the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
Paul Hollick, chair, said that the industry body’s members broadly accepted the need for the government to recover revenue lost from petrol and diesel fuel duty but there were major concerns about the system being proposed.
He said: “Fleets generally recognise the Chancellor needs to balance her books and that fuel duty is being lost as more and more fleets and private motorists adopt electric vehicles (EVs).
“However, there are considerable problems with eVED as currently proposed. At a strategic level, the timing is highly questionable. Acceptance of EVs in the fleet and especially retail sectors is growing steadily but still highly uneven. Adding to costs before electric cars become the norm, especially with a new form of taxation, is a very risky move.
“Initial public reception to the idea of pence per mile payments has not been positive and there is the possibility that eVED becomes a further, perhaps major, barrier to EV adoption.
“The government’s thinking appears to be that this negativity will be offset by continuing the new electric car grant until near the end of the decade but whether that will materialise is questionable. Also, it won’t help demand in the used market, which is perhaps where fleets have the biggest concerns about electrification because of less than expected residual values.”
Additionally, there were problems with the eVED scheme as outlined, he said, with the estimated mileage amount paid upfront and adjusted 12 months later following verification.
“It’s just something of a hotch-potch. It’s not really pay-on-use and it’s not really retrospective charging. We’re struggling to see any advantages at all in this approach.
“The obvious alternative is a technological solution but journey tracking would inevitably and properly raise questions over privacy and civil liberties. Also, any form of hardware or software used to collect data could add significant costs for fleets and private motorists.”
A further issue, he added, was the need for drivers to book into MOT test stations annually to have their mileage verified.
“Cars under three years old, representing the vast majority of fleet vehicles, don’t visit MOT stations and it’s an area where we know there is undercapacity, so this will mean lost work time and unnecessary disruption. It certainly doesn’t fit with the consultation’s stated aim of minimising the administrative burden of eVED.”
Paul said the AFP’s Future Roads Committee would be convened soon in order to aggregate member views on eVED and present them to the government.
“We’re planning on making our views heard firmly as an industry body and it is essential individual fleets to do the same. The more information that can be presented as part of the consultation before the March 18 deadline, the better.”
Despite the many difficulties that eVED presented, it was promising the government had established a track record of listening to fleets on major issues, he added.
“Our experience of working alongside other industry bodies to present the fleet sector’s concerns about policies that affect us has been largely positive. The government often takes note of our representations.
“In the last week or so, we’ve seen this in new measures that make adoption of 4.25 tonne electric vans much easier and in the Budget, the extension of the VED Expensive Car Supplement to £50,000. We’re very much hoping a similar, pragmatic approach will be applied to the many concerns we hold about eVED.
“A plus point is that we have more than two years before the planned introduction of the new system and it is possible, even probable, that considerable time and effort will be needed to arrive at a solution that works for fleets, private motorists and the Treasury. The current consultation may well be the first step in a lengthy process.”
Fleets should take a “measured approach” to security risks highlighted by the government around Chinese-manufactured cars, says the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
Defence minister Luke Pollard this week warned Ministry of Defence (MoD) employees were being urged not to discuss sensitive issues when travelling in Chinese cars and the use of such vehicles was under examination, with warning stickers being fitted to windscreens.
However, Paul Hollick, AFP chair, said these issues affected relatively few vehicle operators and fleets should adopt a proportionate response.
“We’re living through a moment where there is a great deal of sensitivity about Chinese espionage activities in general, with a new alert issued to Parliament this week. There is little doubt the UK government is treating this as a serious issue.
“For security-critical fleets such as the MoD and their suppliers, it is absolutely correct that steps should be taken to minimise risks and if the authorities believe Chinese cars present a potential weakness, their use should be examined in detail.”
He said several AFP members in this position were already working with the authorities and taking appropriate action.
“In technical terms, there are potential causes for concern. Almost all newer vehicles have multiple cameras, microphones, satnav and internet connectivity that could be used to collect information by a hostile actor.
“However, while this is possible, it’s an area easily prone to exaggeration. There is perhaps a perception being promoted in some more sensational areas of the press that someone sitting in a grey walled office in Beijing can click a few buttons on their laptop and listen to a chat between two people as they sit in a traffic jam on the M40. We know of no evidence suggesting this has ever occurred.
“Of course, some of our members – who work in government, critical infrastructure and defense – handle cybersecurity risks every day as part of their management of the fleet. For example, there are often guidelines about where to park vehicles when visiting sensitive sites. Similar policies usually apply to personal mobile phones, and the security concerns surrounding vehicles are comparable.”
For the vast number of fleets adopting Chinese cars, the message was very much there was no reason to panic, Paul said.
“Chinese-manufactured cars – and this includes some established European brands as well as less familiar new entrants to the market – are finding a home on many fleets because they appear to offer excellent value, especially when it comes to electrification.
“Unless you are operating in a sector where security is an everyday concern, we’re unaware of any reason why fleets shouldn’t continue to buy and operate them as before. If there are specific risks, we’d very much expect the government to make us aware.”
Paul added that technology in newer cars was probably more likely to be misused for domestic crime than international espionage, with specific risks around ensuring everyday data stored on cars was regularly monitored and deleted before disposal.
“The amount of personal data being stored on modern cars is enormous. For the average user in a normal company car, it’s not just a question of contacts, phone numbers and destinations but even biometric information such as your weight.
“This is a more present security risk than Chinese cars, in our opinion, and is of concern to all fleets rather than just a few involved in critical sectors. Anyone who works in the used car sector can attest to how much data is often left on vehicles when they are sold.
“One AFP member recently explained to me how the motor manufacturer app on his phone was still tracking the location of a company car sold by his employer five years ago, and he could hypothetically open and close its locks. That’s not too unusual. It’s a huge worry and perhaps indicates that for the vast majority of fleets, the potential misuse of everyday data to carry out simple thefts is a bigger concern than hostile foreign governments.”
Fleets need rapid clarification on how to apply the “split-level” Advisory Electric Rates (AERs) put in place by HMRC in September, says the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
Paul Hollick, chair at the industry body, says the move – which provides an AER of 8 pence per mile (ppm) for domestic charging and 14 ppm for highway charging – had left electric company car operators in limbo.
“Alongside many others in the fleet sector, we were initially very welcoming of the change to a split-level rate, something for which we had been long campaigning in recognition of the widely different costs of private and commercial charging.
“However, the implementation has been confusing at best. AERs exist to provide businesses with a useful simplification when it comes to employees reclaiming fuel costs but the new system is almost unusable as it stands.”
HMRC’s guidance for split-level AER is that for journeys where a company car is charged at both public and residential locations, fleets can apportion the mileage based on how much charging happens at each place.
Paul said: “How that advice might be implemented is open to wide interpretation and few fleets are confidently proceeding. We require clarification about the methodology and evidencing that is required, especially where it needs to be coded into existing systems. Almost no-one wants to go forward risking they’ll adopt the new AER regime incorrectly and face considerable tax back payments and even fines at some point in the future.”
In the absence of detailed instructions, most fleets were playing it safe by using the 8ppm rate, he reported.
“Only in instances where a driver exclusively uses highway charging can the 14ppm rate safely be used. Choosing the lower rate is the conservative option but means drivers who use a lot of commercial charging but some domestic continue to be left out of pocket, which is highly unfair. It’s especially difficult for fleet managers to explain to employees aware of the higher AER why they won’t be able to pay them the 14ppm rate.
“We very much believe this is an area where the authorities should be encouraging more drivers and businesses to adopt electric company cars by enabling fair, easy and accurate reimbursement of fuel costs, and this confusion is a definite disincentive.”
Lorna McAtear, AFP deputy chair, added that the government’s moves were expensive to accommodate from a process point of view, with few fleets able to afford to rewrite their software to apportion rates.
“An idea suggested when the new rates were first announced is probably the best and easiest solution, in our view. If a driver has a home charger, they sign a declaration stating that fact and are treated as an 8ppm claimant. If they don’t have a home charger, they sign a similar declaration to that end and claim everything at 14ppm. This is simple to administer and fair in the broadest sense.
“This method also enables fleets to easily add additional amounts to their ppm rate, if they so choose. Both the AERs are arguably too low, especially the higher level when drivers are using highway rapid chargers, and employers could boost the amount they pay easily because the process is so straightforward.”
The AFP, alongside other organisations representing the fleet sector, was collecting evidence to show HMRC how further action was required to make split level AERs practical, Paul said.
“We have a good relationship with the tax authorities and they listen to our feedback but their approach is very evidential. They’ll want to see proof the situation exists as we describe it before further action is taken and then will need to spend time arriving at a solution that works for them and for fleets.
“Our view is that rapid clarity is needed by fleets but the reality is that arriving at a positive outcome could take some time, which is frustrating.”
AER is a ppm reimbursement rate set by the government for employees using a company EV for business travel. These rates are not mandatory, but using them avoids potential tax on benefits for both employer and employee.
Fleet managers should secure training budgets now to ensure they develop the necessary expertise for the year ahead, says the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
Announcing the 2026 AFP Fleet Academy programme, Paul Hollick, chair of the industry body, said its members were more aware than ever of the need to enhance their skill set to meet ever-wider remits.
“Demand for training has risen from 520 days in 2024 to 590 this year, with more expected to be delivered in 2026. This is a result of the need for fleet managers and their teams to excel in a growing range of areas as their roles continue to evolve and expand.
“As we launch our new training programme, it’s a good moment to remind industry professionals that a structured approach to securing budget may be necessary. We suggest members plan their training requirements now and take steps to ensure the development they need is fully funded.”
Ronnie Gillman, AFP training manager, said courses were based around two main pillars. The Fleet Vehicle Management pathway offered structured development for everyone working in the sector looking to gain knowledge and competencies in a range of fleet roles, while Accelerate courses covered specific topics and soft skills.
“As the role of fleet manager continues to advance, there is a growing need for a wider range of high-quality courses to equip those working in fleet with the necessary abilities and we have worked to meet that demand in our 2026 programme.
“It’s not just about more training but more options. For example, an exciting innovation for next year will be the introduction of a range of ‘bite sized’ courses designed to deliver maximum impact in minimum time. We’ll be releasing more details about these soon.”
The entry point to the AFP Fleet Vehicle Management pathway is the Introductory course, a self-paced online option for those new to the industry that can be started anytime. The two-day, face-to-face Foundation course is designed for those in fleet administration and customer service roles and is being held next year on 17-18 March, 12-13 May and 6-7 October. Strategic level is aimed at those involved in the coordination and management of fleets, and consists of three separate two-day face-to-face or online sessions, normally taking a year to complete. Cohort 12 starts on 3-4 February, Cohort 13 on 6-7 May; and Cohort 14 on 14-15 October. The Advanced Fleet Vehicle Management course, for experienced fleet leaders, is held on demand.
The AFP Accelerate courses for 2026 include Your Voice in Fleet, taking place on 23–24 June. Women’s Voices in Fleet is set for 10–11 March and 13–14 October. Making the Switch to Electric Vehicles will be delivered online on 13 January, 12 May, 11 August, 13 October, and 8 December. Lastly, Operational eLCV Fleet Strategy will be taking place online on 11 February, 8 April, 10 June, 9 September, and 11 November.
Further details about AFP Fleet Academy courses, including pricing, is available at www.theafp.co.uk/education-training/. A 10% discount on all 2026 face-to-face courses is available to members if payment is made before 30 November 2025.
A new app launched today by the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) is designed to provide members with easy access to the organisation’s services.
Highlights include a resource area with useful documents ranging from policy templates to hints and tips on key subjects, and a new chat facility enabling members to ask questions categorised by topic, so they can be searched at a later date.
Developed by BDE Design for the AFP and available for both Apple and Android users, the app also includes an events diary, webinar recordings, AFP Fleet Academy course details and log in, feedback and polls on key fleet subjects, and a member directory. In the future, members be notified of new additions to ensure they stay informed.
Paul Hollick, chair at the AFP, said: “Enabling members to interact and access key information easily was the drive behind the app. Wherever users are, whatever they are doing, they can access our services and interact with their peers through the phone in their pocket.
“We have been upgrading our digital infrastructure over the last year, having made a range of enhancements to the AFP web site. The new app is an important element of this strategy and helps members make the most of their membership.
“Considerable time has been spent consulting potential users and refining the design. One of the key strengths of the AFP is our high level of interaction with members and the app will, we believe, help to drive even more engagement. We’re already receiving good feedback.”
The AFP app is available to members at the Apple App Store at https://tinyurl.com/bdfx2h25 and the Google Play Store at https://tinyurl.com/4jp2d8d7.
Faster charging speeds are essential for the wider fleet adoption of electric vans in the future, says the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
Currently, models available from major manufacturers are rated from around 50-125kWh, meaning that even the best will take around 40 minutes to charge from 10-80% in ideal circumstances, and are usually slower in real world conditions.
Paul Hollick, chair at the AFP, said: “When it comes to tackling the reasons behind slow fleet adoption of electric vans, prominence has been given to issues of range and payload but there has been limited discussion of charging speeds.
“In fact, as discussed at a recent meeting of our megafleets committee, which consists of our members who operate very large fleets, charging speeds tend to be a bigger real-world frustration. Having a driver sitting around for an hour while their van charges is expensive.
“If vans were capable of faster charging then, to a significant extent, other issues affecting them tend to become more manageable. For example, the negative impact of higher payloads on range becomes less important if you can recharge to 80% every 125 miles in 15 minutes.”
Paul said there was a perception among AFP members that vans were being built with slower charging capabilities because manufacturers believed achieving the lowest possible purchase price was crucial.
“This misconception is understandable. However, the message that we are hearing from our members is that they would be willing to pay more for faster charging capacity. Over a typical six-year fleet lifecycle, the additional cost of a rapid charging van would be more than outweighed by increasing the availability of the driver.
“There is no doubt that available van charging speeds now lag far behind typical electric cars and we believe that many more fleet operators would be won over to electric vans if an 80% charge was achievable in 10-15 minutes.”
He added it was also important to ensure drivers were accessing charge points capable of matching the highest speed of the vehicle.
“If the van can charge to 150kWh, fleets need to get as close to this figure as possible from the public charger. Too often, drivers are charging at 50kWh because of the high number of other vehicles tethered.”
Paul said that a further boost to electric van practicality could be delivered soon by the removal of some compliance requirements for 4.25 tonne electric vans.
“As has been widely reported, the government is working its way through the technical issues in this area and we hope to see progress soon on eliminating what we consider unnecessary tachograph, driver hours and MOT requirements.”
AFP members were very aware, he added, that the ZEV Mandate was now rapidly ramping up sales targets for electric vans, reaching 24% in 2026.
“Sales continue to lag some way behind the government targets but manufacturers are going to come under increasing pressure to push electric vans onto fleets. The point in time when most operators can no longer ignore electrification and carry on buying diesel is coming soon.
“With that moment approaching, we’d like to see a greater understanding between manufacturers, fleets and government about the practicalities of electric van adoption, something we have been working on via the Van Plan created alongside the BVRLA and others. Rapid charging speeds and friction-free use of 4.25t models are examples of this.
“Also, it’s sadly true that many of the electric vans introduced so far have proven unreliable in day-to-day use, sometimes because of faults that should’ve been recognised at the design stage. We need more effectiveness from the next generation of models.”
Fleet drivers need guidance to correctly use advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) or risk the technology being counterproductive, says the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
Members of the industry body are reporting the devices – including automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist and adaptive cruise control – can lead to a problematic “lazy” style of driving and an overreliance on the technology.
Lorna McAtear, AFP vice chair and head of fleet at National Grid said her experience showed ADAS was often being used incorrectly by drivers.
“We are potentially deskilling drivers by encouraging them to rely on ADAS but this is a misunderstanding of how the technology is intended to work. It is designed to act as a limited driving aid or an emergency safety net, not to take responsibility for aspects of driving.
“Increasingly, we are seeing situations where the driver blames the car for errors that caused accidents – arguing either the technology should have stopped the incident or indeed, that ADAS actively caused it. Sometimes, of course, this is just shifting the blame but in other cases, the driver appears to have completely misunderstood how the devices operate.
“A key issue is that ADAS works differently from car to car. Adaptive cruise control, for example, is implemented in distinct ways by each manufacturer, while the degree of pressure on the steering wheel applied by lane departure ranges from gentle to genuinely aggressive. Drivers understandably find this confusing.”
Aaron Powell, AFP board member and director of fleet and logistics at Speedy Hire, said there were question marks over whether ADAS was working in the real world as intended.
“We have seen an increase in car accidents and believe the new technology is playing a role in this trend. It’s important to qualify this statement by saying the rise is more often in less serious incidents – such as car park manoeuvring – but they are more numerous and every accident is time consuming and expensive to deal with from a fleet point of view.
“In our opinion, these low speed collisions especially are occurring because ADAS makes some drivers lazy. Driving is seen as less of a proactive skill and more as something that is secondary to a series of devices that will automatically keep them safe.”
Lorna said that with the fitting of a range of ADAS devices mandated on new cars – and more to come in 2026 – it was difficult for fleets to make criticisms.
“It’s very difficult to push back against the introduction of safety technology. Safety and technology are both seen as positives, so to argue they might not be working as planned is a controversial point to make, but we think there are problems.
“Especially if you have been correctly taught to drive defensively with a high degree of anticipation, these devices tend towards the problematic. Most intervene very late during situations and a jerkiness is imposed on your driving style, which is not desirable. Also, the interventions are quite frequently incorrect.
“It’s common, for example, to have automatic emergency braking slam the brakes on for no apparent reason. Now, research shows that this device is effective at reducing rear end collisions, but false positives do little to inspire confidence and can be quite disturbing, especially if you have another vehicle close behind.”
Aaron said Speedy were in the process of creating a range of training videos designed to underline the fundamentals of safe driving.
“We’re reacting to the issues we perceive with the technology by taking a ‘back to basics’ approach that reminds drivers the responsibility for safe driving on the road is theirs.”
Lorna added: “There’s no doubt some of this technology is useful and effective but we need to develop a greater understanding of how to help drivers integrate it into their existing driving style. ADAS has been introduced with limited guidance about how those who created it thought it should be used in everyday driving.”
Support for the used electric vehicle (EV) market is the number one aspiration from November’s Budget for the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
Chair Paul Hollick pointed out that new electric car grants introduced in July had been relatively successful in stimulating retail interest – and a similar move could play an essential role in the second-hand sector.
“While the scheme has not been perfect, it appears to be helping make new electric cars more accessible through both direct grants and widespread, substantial discounting being prompted by increased competition.
“Really, we’d like to see a corresponding initiative for the used sector. While values for second hand EVs have stabilised and the era of large month-on-month drops appears to thankfully be over, consumer interest is still variable and residual values remain simply too low.
“Some form of support that helps to stimulate buyer enthusiasm – which could be anything from direct grants to interest-free loans – would be very well received by fleets.”
Paul said that other EV measures the AFP would like to see in the Budget included scrapping VED for electric cars and vans.
“The increases for electric cars that took effect from April have added quite heavily to their running costs and created a disincentive, while the introduction of VED for electric vans has been counterproductive in a market that is struggling to find its feet.
“We’d also like to see more support for kerbside charging. It appears a relatively cheap and effective solution for people living in terraced houses or apartments has now been identified in the shape of cable gullies, and there should be a commitment to a much wider implementation than the £25 million already allocated.
“There is also a need to encourage more ‘destination’ charging at hotels and other facilities which, according to feedback from our members, is a hole in current network provision that is becoming increasingly apparent over time.
“Additionally, for EVs, we’d like to see a reintroduction of charging infrastructure grants for businesses. Deadlines for the government’s earlier scheme made it next to impossible for those interested in applying to access the fund – something that caused consternation among fleets – so it is presumably unallocated and still potentially available.”
Finally, he added that an ongoing complaint within the AFP was that potholes remained an issue, often causing damage to company cars and vans.
“This was a problem recognised in the last Budget with an extra £500 million allocated but identifying where this money is being spent is difficult because the condition of our roads doesn’t appear to be noticeably improving. We’d like to see more visible progress.”
Paul suggested that the Chancellor also consider measures from the AFP’s 2024 Tax and Regulation Manifesto, noting the government has already implemented some of its proposals.
“They’ve now been in power for just over a year and we do believe this is a government that often listens to fleets and the wider motor industry, taking action such as the recent split level AER rates. However, there is a shortage of money to spend and many of the issues that we’d like to see resolved require both funding and time.”
Chris Demetriou has been appointed to the board of the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
The assistant director of corporate fleet, transport and accessible community transport at Islington London Borough Council has been added to the industry body’s 15-strong executive following a member election.
Chris said: “The AFP is an indispensable part of the fleet sector, acting as a unified voice for our industry while also providing training and strategic guidance. It plays a crucial role in raising standards, supporting innovation, and advocating for our needs at a national level.
“The inclusive approach that the organisation represents – bringing together professionals from a wide range of sectors – fosters a collaborative environment that drives positive change right across the UK fleet landscape.
“Having witnessed firsthand the AFP’s impact, I’m honoured and excited to take up this new position. Being appointed director is a proud moment for me and I hope to bring my experience and knowledge to the board, making a meaningful contribution to its missions.”
At Islington London Borough Council, Chris is responsible for more than 550 vehicles and 150 staff, leading projects including the retrofitting and electrification of the local authority’s fleet in line with its 2030 net zero carbon strategy.
On the AFP board, he replaces Lee Jackson, who is standing down. Chris received the most votes of the remaining candidates in the June election that saw Matt Neale And Aaron Powell named to the board.
Paul Hollick, AFP chair, said: “It’s a pleasure to welcome Chris as an AFP director. He is a well-known and active member of the AFP who has impressed with his abilities and enthusiasm. We are sure that he will quickly prove to be an invaluable addition to the board.
“We’d also like to wholeheartedly thank Lee Jackson for his contributions as a director and are pleased to hear that, while he is standing down, he intends to remain an active member of the organisation.”
A new benchmarking survey by the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) provides probably the most serious attempt yet to answer the question of how many people are required to manage a fleet.
It includes responses from 118 organisations that together control 118,000 cars, vans and trucks, and the number of full-time employees (FTEs) they employ.
The quantity and types of vehicles each fleet operates, as well as acquisition method, vehicle type and which associated fleet responsibilities are managed in-house, are also covered in the methodology.
Lorna McAtear, vice chair at the AFP, said: “As fleet managers struggle with increased workloads and managing resources, how many people should be managing a fleet is a question that comes up time and time again amongst AFP members, and the information we have compiled indicates why it is so difficult to answer.
“For example, if you look at the responses we have received, fleets with two FTEs in the fleet team range in size from 633 vehicles to 5,300, which is a considerable difference. However, there are good reasons for this variance, with the biggest fleet having a large number of cash allowance drivers.
“There are many other instances of this kind of diversity in our research, serving to illustrate both the significant value of this new data, but at the same time, underlining the difficulty of using it to produce usable benchmarking figures.”
Despite this complexity, credible headline averages have been created. As expected, these show a strong relationship between fleet size and FTEs employed, although there are numerous data points outside of this formulaic relationship that underline the number of factors at play.
Especially, the in-house and outsourcing mix, and vehicle types within the overall fleet, have a strong impact. For this reason, the results are separated by funding method and fleet size, and a weighting is applied to the fleet type – salary sacrifice, cash allowance, company car, LCV and HGV.
For a mega fleet of more than 1,000 vehicles, the average number of FTEs is 5.25 for externally funded fleets and 12.25 for outright purchase. For a large fleet of 500-1,000 vehicles: 3.55 funded and 8.25 outright purchase. For a medium fleet of 100-500 vehicles: 1.32 funded and 1.75 outright purchase. Finally, for small fleet of 100 vehicles or less: 0.83 funded and 1.00 outright purchase. More detailed figures are available to AFP members by downloading the report from the AFP web site.
Lorna said: “It’s important to stress these results are very much a reflection of the 118 fleets who responded to our survey but the figures appear to us to feel broadly representative. Generally, fleets within the AFP that depart significantly from most of these averages have their own particular demands and requirements.”