Searches for Electric Vans Jump 143% in March as Diesel Fuel Costs Hit UK SMEs
British traders and small business owners are turning to the internet in record numbers to investigate diesel conversions, with Google searches for “electric vans” jumping 143% in March, new figures show.
The analysis, compiled by online comparison site Van Insurer, which is part of the Howden Group, found that inquiries peaked in the days leading up to the Easter weekend, a period that often sees sole traders, couriers and last-mile carriers review their fleet’s operating costs ahead of the busiest spring and summer trading months.
With diesel still powering the majority of the 4.6 million vans on Britain’s roads, the rate of increase points to a significant shift in sentiment among users who have spent the past two years experiencing successive increases in forecourts. Industry observers say the combination of forcefully high pump prices, tightening of clean air zone restrictions in London, Birmingham, Bristol and beyond, and a reduced number of new battery electric models is affecting even the most reluctant drivers to reduce numbers in the EV transition.
Ed Bevis, commercial director at Van Insurer, said diesel users were bearing the brunt of the current congestion. “Diesel van drivers are the most affected by the lack of fuel, so it is not surprising that we see an increase in interest in electric vans,” he said.
“Many owners are beginning to look to a future that is less dependent on fossil fuels and less exposed to volatile fuel prices and cost uncertainty. As a result, we expect demand for battery insurance and hybrid electric vans to accelerate in the coming months.”
For Britain’s army of self-employed tradesmen, plumbers, plumbers, florists, parcel drivers and mechanics who make a living out of a van that’s not a car, the economy is getting harder to ignore. Even small fluctuations at the pump translate directly into small margins in already-stressed operations, while residual values on late-model diesels have shrunk as buyers weigh the risks of further regulatory tightening.
Mr Bevis admitted there were financial problems in the sector and said the comparison site was trying to get some of the payments out. “At a time when many consumers and business owners have to count every penny, we believe it is important to provide meaningful support, especially for those whose vans are essential to their livelihood,” he said, pointing to the £500 of free excess protection now offered on relevant policies.
Whether the March spike marks the start of a definite migration away from diesel or just another curiosity from hard-pressed operators will depend largely on the direction of fuel prices, the speed of the rollout of public charging and the next move by the Ministry of Finance regarding car tax. For now, though, the direction of travel in search data is unmistakable, and insurers, retailers and manufacturers will all be watching the next set of statistics closely.
