Features
11 mai 22

1 in 3 Belgian fleets not fully electric by 2026

By 2026, only fully electric company cars will enjoy maximum tax benefits in Belgium. However, more than 1 in 3 Belgian companies says they won’t have fully electrified their fleets by then.

That figure is one of the results of a recent (March/April) survey of 200 Belgian fleet professionals by AON, the fleet risk management and insurance specialist, and the Belgian trade magazine FLEET. 

Key outcomes

  • More than 1 in 3 companies (35.7%) say they won’t be able to have a fully electric fleet by 2026. Most frequently cited obstacles: charging infrastructure (both at office and at home), long delivery times for EVs, range anxiety, and reluctance to redesign the car policy.
  • Nearly 7 out of 10 companies (68.9%) point to problems with parking infrastructure and the increased fire risk inherent in EVs. 
  • Around 3 out of 10 companies have no idea who is liable if the home charger of one of their employees catches fire. 
  • Nearly 9 out of 10 drivers (85.2%) don’t receive training on how to charge their EV safely.
  • Only 1 in 3 companies discourage charging at more expensive fast-charging stations. 

50% of the market

Company cars represent nearly 50% of the new-vehicle market in Belgium. The Belgian government is using fiscal incentives to push this large market segment towards electrification. From 2026, only full-electric BEVs (or other emission-free cars) will get the full fiscal advantages that company cars now enjoy.

But as the AON/FLEET survey shows, this fiscal push towards corporate electrification is leaving lots of corporate fleets – now fully engaged in making that switch – with practical questions, and problems. 

Just in terms of charging stations to be installed at the company premises and/or at home: how many will be needed, how will they be financed, and how should they be insured? The lack of answers to these and similar questions is causing a delay in the process of corporate fleet electrification.

Fire hazard

The increased fire hazard posed by EVs seems to be a particular stubborn stumbling block, with almost 7 out of 10 companies indicating they have neither the extinguishing system, fire safety plan or special fire insurance for EVs. 

From 1 July, a new law will mandate that parking spaces larger than 250 m2 in new buildings must have at least one fire safety type per parking floor (i.e. smoke and heat extraction system, ventilation opening, or sprinkler). However, there is as yet no Belgian regulation on EVs in parking buildings, and still a lot of confusion among fleet managers as to liability in case of charge point fire.

Image: Shutterstock
 

Authored by: Frank Jacobs