25% of fleets consider alternative fuels

10th June 2012

Around a quarter of global companies have introduced, or are considering, vehicles that run on alternative fuels, says a new Greener Fleets report from Grant Thornton.

The report highlights perspectives and trends for incorporating alternative-fuel vehicles into commercial fleets worldwide. 

• Analysis of fleet costs and the costs to convert – be sure to detail costs and potential savings associated with various alternative-fuel options, given the size, age, and type of fleet you currently maintain.
• Incentives and credits – after calculating alternative-fuel conversion numbers for your company, identify national and local incentives or credits that can be applied for various fuel-type conversions.
• Regulatory compliance – even if first-pass calculations indicated that conversion to alternative-fuel vehicles may be cost-prohibitive now, what might be the eventual costs for failure to convert?
• Marketing opportunities – what impact would the use of alternative-fuel vehicles have on your customers?  Many companies brand themselves as environmentally friendly and socially conscious, simply by making their fleets greener.  How much is that goodwill and customer awareness worth?

With the US and the EU pressing ahead with sanctions against Iran, it seems unlikely that prices at the pumps will ease significantly in the near future,” said Daniel Taylor at Grant Thornton.

“Given the cost of alternative fuel vehicles at present, incentives will be a key driver of more widespread adoption.  However, increased production of alternative fuel vehicles should lower costs, increase awareness and spur businesses to consider them when opportunities arise to expand or replace their fleets.”