Progress along the UK’s Road to Zero remains in the balance. Growth in chargepoint numbers and the availability of new electric vehicles is being offset by freefalling used vehicle values and fiercely expensive public charging costs. The assessment comes out of the BVRLA’s annual Road to Zero Report, which explores decarbonisation progress across vehicle supply, demand, and infrastructure.
Toby Poston, BVRLA Chief Executive, said:
“The UK’s transition to a zero-emission future is in its most challenging period. On the plus side, corporate demand for electric cars remains solid, and salary sacrifice schemes continue to democratise access to EVs for hard-to-reach demographics.
Offsetting that positivity is what’s happening in the used market. Used EV values are falling relentlessly, destroying value on an epic scale. This death by a thousand cuts is costing fleets hundreds of millions of pounds and eroding confidence across our industry. We know the Government is listening. The £1.8bn committed to support EV uptake last month could make a difference, and we’ll continue to work with government to highlight how this money can achieve the best return on investment.”
The updated Road to Zero Report was launched as part of the BVRLA’s annual Fleets in Charge Conference. There, delegates also heard from Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood MP, who outlined where the Government is taking steps to support road transport decarbonisation.
Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads, said:
“Transport is the engine of our economy and its success is key for delivering our climate and growth missions. The transition to zero-emissions cars, vans, and HGVs brings huge opportunities to futureproof our world-class automotive and logistics sectors and secure the long-term sustainable growth this country needs.
I welcome BVRLA’s Road to Zero report and look forward to continuing to work alongside industry on this journey to deliver our joint goal of a greener and more prosperous future.”
Key Trends Highlighted in the Report:
- Destination Charging: A lack of chargepoints at destinations such as hotels and leisure venues is a significant "unseen" barrier to EV adoption.
- Affordable Car Models Under £25k: The affordability challenge is improving with 12 models now available under £25,000 as of May 2025, though this lags behind the 26 petrol or diesel models in the same price range.
- Used BEV Market Incentives: The UK market for used EVs is underperforming compared to other European countries. The average used EV price has fallen 46% between 2021 and 2024, compared to 19% for internal combustion engine vehicles.
Overall, the 2025 report shows that targeted incentives continue to support electric vehicle adoption via leasing, whether personal or business. Where comparable incentives are lacking—such as in the rental sector or among van users—progress remains slow. Utilisation rates of electric vehicles in the rental sector have also decreased year on year, highlighting the challenges faced in that part of the industry.
With charging frequently cited as a key barrier to transition, the Report Card shows that deployment of chargepoints continues to progress on the exponential curve required to reach 300,000 by 2030. Through its Bon VoyCharge campaign this summer, the BVRLA emphasises that an effective charging network is not just about the number of chargepoints, but also matching the speed and accessibility with key use cases in specific locations.
The Road to Zero Report is available in full via the dedicated RoadToZero.co.uk website.
