Features
11 juil 18

LeasePlan co-founds ZEV Challenge

LeasePlan has announced it is one of the co-founders of ZEV Challenge, a global coalition to speed up the transition to electric mobility.

The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Challenge is organised by The Climate Group and C40. Other founders next to LeasePlan include Unilever, EDF Energy, the State of California and the City of New York. 

Clear signal
ZEV Challenge aims to bring together states, regions, cities, businesses and NGOs to send a clear signal to the automotive industry: the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) is increasing! 

As an additional push towards electric mobility, ZEV Challenge partners will develop and advocate policies and solutions designed to spark a mass adoption of EVs. 

“Although we're seeing the appetite for EVs rise every day, the vehicles, infrastructure and policies to meet this demand aren't there yet”, says LeasePlan's Tex Gunning. “We're therefore delighted to join the global ZEV Challenge and work with the industry to make zero-emission mobility a reality”. 

Starting electric can be one of the easiest ways to tackle climate change, the LeasePlan CEO says, “but only if everyone rises to the ZEV Challenge”. 

1.8 million vehicles
Helen Clarkson, CEO of The Climate Group is delighted that LeasePlan, with its total global fleet of 1.8 million vehicles, is stepping up to the ZEV Challenge: “Transport is a significant and growing contributor to climate change”. 

Road transport accounts for around a third of CO2 emissions in the U.S. and 20% in the EU. EVs cause up to 70% lower CO2 emissions than internal-combustion engine vehicles. 

“Today, we're challenging automotive manufacturers to work with all stakeholder groups – states, regions, cities, businesses and NGOs like ours – to accelerate the zero-emissions mobility revolution and make electric transport the norm”, Clarkson says.  

Starting point
As a founding member of the ZEV Challenge, LeasePlan commits to using its policy influence and customer relationships to accelerate the adoption of EVs among some of the world's largest businesses. Over half the cars on the road today belong to companies, making corporate fleets a natural starting point for the transition to EVs. 

LeasePlan is a founding partner of The Climate Group's EV100 initiative, the only scheme encouraging global businesses to transition to electric fleets by 2030. The company is leading by example, by aiming to transition its own employee fleet completely to EVs by 2021. 

Authored by: Frank Jacobs