Rental firm Europcar held a special advice event for businesses about the new London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on the day it came into force.
The ULEZ clinic took place at Europcar’s Kings Cross branch on 8 April, with experts on hand to offer advice, support and solutions to businesses.
A Renault Kangoo ZE electric van was displayed as a potential zero-emission option.
Under the ULEZ, vans that do not meet the Euro 6 standard for diesel emissions, or Euro 4 for petrol, incur a £12.50 daily charge, in addition to the existing congestion charge – potentially adding up to an extra £4,500 per year, per van.
Europcar says its research has found that 13% of small businesses still aren’t sure what the ULEZ requirements are, while only 36% of London-based businesses say they fully understand the impact of the ULEZ in terms of vehicle emissions.
Europcar director of commercial vehicles Stuart Russell said:
“The charges that firms may need to pay for entering the ULEZ are significant and can have a huge impact on the wheels of business.
“£4,500 per van has the potential to cripple many small businesses.”
Russell added that Europcar could offer businesses access to ULEZ-compliant vans without being tied to vehicle purchases or long term leases.
