A coalition of fleet operators calling for new petrol and diesel car sales to be banned in the UK from 2030 has expanded.
UK companies including Tesco, Dixons Carphone, E.ON, Heathrow, Lime and SSE have joined the UK Electric Fleets Coalition, a partnership launched by the Climate Group and BT, taking its membership to 27 in total.
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The announcement comes after reports earlier this week that the government, which had been consulting on moving the ICE ban forward from 2040 to 2035, is now looking at 2030 as the implementation date.
The coalition also wants the government to support UK manufacturing of battery electric vehicles, extend financial incentives to further boost demand, and unlock investment for EV chargers.
SSE chief executive Alistair Phillips-Davies said: "Making the switch to EVs will not only help tackle climate change and improve air quality in our towns and cities, but it will help drive the costs of EVs down and spur the development of a new clean industry contributing to a green recovery.
"We're doing our part by committing to decarbonising our own fleet of vehicles by 2030 as part of the EV100 [campaign] and, with the right support in place including a coordinated roll-out of EV charge points and a 2030 end date for ICE vehicle sales, the UK could become a hub of electric mobility and encourage similar actions internationally."
Reacting to the reports that the government is considering 2030 as its new ICE ban implementation date, Matthew Walters, head of consultancy at leasing company Leaseplan UK, said: "The UK Government's plans to bring forward the ban on new fossil fuel vehicles are suitably ambitious, and a welcome sign that it is taking the nation's transition to EVs seriously.
"However, the government still needs to address the elephant in the room: what happens to EV supply post Brexit?
"We need urgent answers from the government on what will happen to the continuity of EV supply shipments when trade tariffs are introduced. We must ensure that the UK still keeps its place at the table."
