Automotive Business Magazine – Q2 2026 – Digital edition - Magazine - Page 66
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INDUSTRY OUTLOOK
Holt says that the UK automotive
market will be operating in a state of
“productive tension” as it moves further
into 2026.
He adds: “Electrification will no longer
feel experimental, but it won’t feel
inevitable, either.”
Buyers are showing a lot of curiosity
around EVs; however, Versteegen feels
that uncertainty surrounding long-term
costs is holding consumers back.
Holt agrees, saying that TCO modelling
will play an increasing role than headline
vehicle pricing.
Versteegen adds: “It is now about
converting intent into real purchase
decisions, and that will be critical for
retailers this year if the UK is to get back
on track with its ZEV Mandate targets.”
Fleet adoption of EVs, meanwhile,
is largely focused on charging
infrastructure.
Russell Olive, UK director at vaylens,
says: “I expect several longstanding
barriers to EV fleet adoption to ease.
Not because fleets suddenly have fewer
demands on them, but because the way
charging is managed is getting more
structured and automated.
“We’re already seeing fleet managers
move away from fragmented, hard to
track charging set ups and towards
strategies that are easier to monitor,
control and report on. That shift
alone improves uptime and reduces
administrative pressure.”
Home charging is a vital point of
concern. Olive believes there has been
some real progress, with automated
charging reimbursements and better
integrated third-party systems.
On the other hand, Golding says
that there is no easy answer to home
charging, as half of the population live on
a terraced street or in a flat.
Overall, however, there does seem to be
a positive shift among fleets.
Olive says: “As more organisations
understand what’s now possible –
automation, reporting, smarter charging
based on real vehicle needs – the path to
electrification becomes clearer.”
Some fleets are sceptical about moving
over to electric vans, specifically, due to
the lack of models that offer the range
needed by most businesses. Though
there has been a lot of progress in the
range of electric cars, vans are lagging.
Hollick says: “There are few financial
incentives for operators, and there are
issues with range, payload and speed of
charging when it comes to many of the
