Corporate fleets already dominate vehicle purchases in Europe, accounting for around 60 percent of new car sales, roughly 90 percent of vans and nearly all newly registered trucks in the EU. The recent analysis by Eurelectric, an association of electricity producers and suppliers across Europe, and consultancy EY (Ernst & Young) focused on corporate-owned cars, vans and trucks, which account for the majority of new vehicle registrations across the EU. With six out of ten new vehicles now sold to fleet operators, corporate purchasing decisions are set to play a decisive role in determining the pace of transport electrification across Europe.
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According to the study, battery electric vehicles already show clear economic advantages over conventional models across many fleet segments. Operating costs for battery-powered vehicles are around 20 to 50 percent lower than for internal combustion engine vehicles, depending on the vehicle category and usage profile.
Corporate fleets could unlock EV demand
Operating expenditure represents a large share of total lifetime costs, particularly in commercial transport. For trucks, operating costs account for around 60 to 75 percent of lifetime costs, compared with roughly 45 to 65 percent for vans and 25 to 40 percent for passenger cars. As electricity increasingly replaces diesel or petrol in fleet operations, these cost structures are expected to shift further in favour of electric alternatives.
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If these projections prove accurate, corporate fleets could represent one of the most direct routes to scaling electric mobility across Europe. The study’s authors argue that clear policy frameworks for fleet electrification could stimulate demand for upwards of several million additional battery electric vehicles over the coming years, while Eurelectric estimates that stronger fleet electrification policies could generate demand for around seven million additional battery electric vehicles by 2030.
Fleet charging links mobility and power system
Beyond the automotive sector, managed fleet charging could increasingly align electricity demand with periods of high solar and wind generation, helping integrate larger shares of renewable power. As electric fleets expand, they are expected to interact more closely with the power system through charging infrastructure, energy management and grid services. Overall, the study estimates that electrifying corporate fleets could add around 100 to 120 terawatt-hours of electricity demand by 2030.
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Nevertheless, structural barriers remain that continue to slow fleet electrification, including high upfront vehicle costs, uncertainty around residual values, fragmented policy frameworks and grid connection constraints. Here, the report highlights the need to accelerate the rollout of depot and workplace charging infrastructure tailored to fleet operations.
Fleets as strategic entry point to electrification
In 2025, battery electric vehicle registrations in Europe increased by around 30 percent and, in the EU, surpassed petrol vehicle sales for the first time. With new EU rules for corporate vehicles under discussion, company fleets are emerging as a practical starting point for scaling electric mobility and linking transport more closely with the electricity system. (TF)
You can read the full report from Eurelectric and EY here.
