Major companies doubled their action on electric vehicles in 2020, driven by the need to tackle the climate crisis and reduce air pollution.

The number of EVs scheduled to be on the road as part of corporate and leasing company customer fleet commitments by 2030 has risen by 80% to 4.8 million

A new report by the Climate Group reveals that the number of EVs on the road operated by the large multinationals in its EV100 initiative rose to 169,000 vehicles last year – compared to 80,000 in 2019 – despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.

And corporate and leasing fleet commitments will see the roll-out of more than 4.8 million electric vehicles by 2030.

The Climate Group’s ‘EV100 Progress and Insights Report’ also reveals there has been a boom in planned charging infrastructure. A total of 6,500 locations committed to have charging installed in 2020, a 103% increase on 2019. There has also been an 84% increase in the number of locations with charging already installed to nearly 2,100, and the number of individual charge points installed has increased by 79% to nearly 16,900.

These report, which is based on data from 101 major global businesses such as Siemens, Sky and AstraZeneca and covers 80 markets, also found that over half of companies are now using 100% renewable electricity for charging.

But challenges remain. Firms say their biggest obstacles to EV roll-out lie in procuring electric commercial and heavy-duty vehicles and also the lack of public charging infrastructure.

Sandra Roling, head of transport at the Climate Group, said: “Corporate uptake of electric vehicles is on a roll. Despite the uncertainty of 2020, the business community has made remarkable progress in transitioning its fleets. The EV revolution is underway.

“With the UN climate conference COP26 due in Glasgow at the end of the year, 2021 is the year of climate action. We need businesses to lead from the front. Now is the time for every company with a fleet or an employee car scheme to join EV100 and commit to going electric.”

To access the Climate Group’s ‘EV100 Progress and Insights Report’, click here.