Until the motoring industry tackles the ongoing issue of affordable pricing the electric vehicle sector will not take off in the UK, it has been claimed.

Dr Ben Lane of Next Green Car said while the cost of fuel can be lower in the short term, the massive depreciation which takes place on this type of vehicle at present means that for many fleet managers they remain uneconomical.

He commented: "There are still plenty of barriers to electric vehicles, the primary one being cost. Independent research continues to show that lifetime costs for electric cars and electric vans is higher than for conventional vehicles."

He added that a number of uncertainties also remain regarding the technology, such as the delivery of a timeframe for nationwide access to charging points.

Fleet managers looking for low-carbon alternatives to their present vehicles might like to head along to the EV & Low CO2 Fleet Show, which is taking place at the Silverstone racing circuit in April.

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Posted by Brendan Saunders