Vodafone UK to electrify entire car fleet by 2026
The communications group launched its fleet electrification programme in 2019 with the original aim of switching fully to electric vehicles by 2027. With a structured transition plan developed in partnership with Arval UK, this target will now be met 12 months earlier.
Vodafone introduced its first BEVs in 2019, supported by ride-and-drive events and webinars designed to familiarise employees with the technology. Petrol and diesel cars were removed from choice lists in 2021, followed by PHEVs in 2023.
Craig Login, property contract manager at Vodafone UK, said the company had been pursuing a determined electrification strategy, driven both by corporate environmental objectives and employee demand for zero-emission options. He explained that in 2020 just 16 per cent of the fleet was battery-electric (BEV) and 29 per cent plug-in hybrid (PHEV), but by next year the mix would be 100 per cent BEV and zero PHEV – a shift he described as a major achievement.
In Germany, Vodafone is also electrifying its fleet of 3,000 vehicles. As reported by electrive’s German edition earlier this year, employees there have been required to opt for BEVs as company cars since the start of the year. Unlike in the UK, however, Vodafone has not yet confirmed when its German fleet will be fully electrified.
In the UK, the transition has been driven in partnership with Arval UK. Login said the operator had taken a structured approach, from whole-life cost modelling through to regular meetings with manufacturers to ensure suitable electric cars were available. He emphasised that Arval’s role in educating drivers on taxation, charging and range was crucial, adding that such rapid progress would not have been possible without staff support.
Arval UK also introduced a BEV salary sacrifice scheme in 2023. The leasing company reported that the 300th vehicle under this scheme was delivered last month.
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