A recent survey from sustainability think tank Ceres has indicated high demand for electric trucks and delivery vans and concern about lack of supply in the fleet industry.
Released in January, the survey found that members of its Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance “collectively plan to procure nearly 333,000 electric vehicles including sedans, SUVs, pickups and box trucks.”
Members of the CEVA include leading automotive groups Volvo, GM, Daimler and Toyota, and many have set strong corporate climate goals that will require fleet electrification. This sends a growing demand signal to manufacturers in the global vehicle market.
However, sourcing enough inventory could be a problem says Ceres.
Not only is there demand, but over 90% of the respondents said that they would switch manufacturers if the vehicles were not available from suppliers. Alliance members such as Amazon, Best Buy, DHL, and Schindler Elevator, collectively own, lease or operate nearly 1.3 million on-road vehicles in the United States.
“Automakers are already moving toward electric vehicles, but by establishing clear lines of communication between manufacturers and major consumers, we can accelerate that transition to the point where we’re meeting critical climate goals as well as fleets’ operational needs,” said Sara Forni, director of clean vehicles at Ceres.
“This survey leaves no doubt that if manufacturers want to remain relevant over the next decade, they must prioritize developing specific electric vehicles to meet key commercial use cases, while also working to fulfill niche needs as the industry grows.
“Alliance members recognize that the future is electric. By speaking with a common voice, they demonstrate the power of collective action to steer and speed the transition to electrified transportation.”
Battery-electric vehicles are preferred over plug-in hybrids or hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles by Alliance members across most vehicle types.
Sedans accounted for more than three-quarters of planned light-duty vehicle procurements.
With domestic production in its infancy (SEA, ACE), Australia will be dependent on imports of all EV vehicle types.
As manufacturers ramp up to produce battery electric sedans, light trucks and heavy vehicles in the USA and China, we are likely to see more of them on our roads. I look forward to when we will be able to use Rivian, Brightdrop, Arrival and other exciting vehicles being made overseas.
