Vehicle leasing and mobility solutions provider Arval UK more than doubled the number of electric vehicles (EVs) from June 2021 to same time this year, according to a company statement.

EVs now represent 12.2% of Arval UK’s total fleet, growing from 11,225 to 22,630 units in the past 12 months. The total figure breaks down into a 98% increase in the number of electric cars and a 249% rise in electric light commercial vehicles.

The numbers reflect the company’s focus on promoting the advantages of EVs to existing and new fleet customers, said Joel Lund, Arval UK commercial director.

“Our consultancy team have worked hard at constructing both mainstream fleet and salary sacrifice schemes that meet the needs of employers and employees, helping them to transition to electrification in a manner that maximizes benefits and minimizes disruption.” said Lund.

According to Lund, the company has been successful widening manufacturer choices and securing supply of major models, despite availability challenges.

Fleets and drivers generally want to move quickly to purchase an EV once the decision to electrify is made, the company has found.

“This desire to electrify quickly is especially apparent when it comes to drivers who want to reduce their benefit-in-kind taxation levels at a time when the increased cost of living is a major concern,” said Lund. “We’ve also been advising them to open up their choice lists in a structured fashion to make the most of available supply.

While the numbers of electric light commercial vehicles (LCV) currently trail electric cars, Arval UK officials expect the trend will change in the next few years, particularly as new electric LCV models are introduced, and their commercial use is more fully understood.

“You can see from our figures that the picture for electric vans is similar to the electric car market around five years ago,” said Lund. “In a year or two, we expect to see a completely different picture as more commercial vehicle fleets start on the journey to electrification.”