Exemption deadline given for government fleet commitment

Government departments and their arms-length bodies have until the end of May to apply for an exemption from the requirement to switch to a zero emission fleet.

The UK Government has a commitment to convert its fleet of petrol and diesel cars and vans to zero emission vehicles by 2027. This includes government departments and arms-length bodies, including fleets operated by National Highways and the Environment Agency.

Local authorities, Crown Dependencies, devolved administrations, and Overseas Territories are not included in the commitment.

Last year, the Department for Transport (DfT) published further guidance on the fleet commitment, including the option to apply to exempt vehicles. The guidance now says that fleets they have until May 31 to apply for the exemption.

The fleets covered in the scope of the commitment will need to apply to the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) for an exemption, explaining why they are unable to change vehicles by the deadline and when they believe it will become feasible to replace their vehicles.

Exemptions from the commitment will only be considered for vehicles where it is a security risk, safety requirements are not met or if no zero-emission vehicle options are technically viable.