Logistics businesses are urging ministers to move quickly on new electric van rules, warning that outdated regulations are holding back fleet decarbonisation.
Business group Logistics UK said draft legislation published after the zero-emission vans consultation marks a key step towards ending the treatment of electric vans as heavy goods vehicles.
Under current rules, many standard-sized electric vans fall into the HGV category because of battery weight, triggering additional MOT requirements and driver hours regulations.
Logistics UK said this has created unnecessary cost and complexity for operators using electric vans for the same work as diesel and petrol vehicles.
Chris Yarsley, senior policy manager for road freight regulation at Logistics UK, said the legislation must be approved without delay.
“The electric van legislation is finally catching up with operational reality and needs to be approved as quickly as possible,” he said.
He said the existing system unfairly penalises operators investing in cleaner vehicles.
“The current situation where standard size electric vans are treated as HGVs, in terms of MOT and driver hours requirements, is outdated and penalises logistics operators who are trying to clean up their fleets and help the UK meet its decarbonisation objectives,” he said.
Mr Yarsley said electric vans are being used in the same way as conventional vehicles, with battery weight being the only factor pushing them into a different regulatory category.
“Electric vans are used for the same jobs as diesel and petrol vehicles, and it is only the extra weight from the batteries that moves them into the same category as HGVs,” he said.
He said the proposed changes would remove unnecessary burdens and accelerate uptake.
“The new legislation removes this false equivalence and will speed up the adoption of cleaner vehicles as operators will not have the unnecessary expense and paperwork of complying with rules designed for much heavier lorries,” he said.
Logistics UK said it has long argued for regulatory alignment between 4.25-tonne electric vans and 3.5-tonne diesel vehicles, alongside stronger fiscal incentives to support adoption.
Mr Yarsley said the draft legislation shows the government is responding to industry concerns.
“The draft legislation is a clear indication that the government is listening to the sector’s concerns,” he said.
He added that swift approval is now needed to deliver benefits for businesses and consumers.
“It is now essential for the legislation to become law as a matter of urgency,” he said.