BONUS: Company EV Fleets Are WAY More Important Than You Think
About this episode
The discussion highlights the significant impact of corporate electric vehicle (EV) fleets on accelerating EV adoption in Europe. Using Belgium's tax reform as a case study, the podcast explains how changing company car tax rules can rapidly increase EV uptake. The European Commission's Clean Corporate Vehicles Regulation aims to push large corporate fleets—responsible for 60% of new car registrations—toward zero and low emission vehicles (ZLEVs) by 2030. However, critics argue the regulation's inclusion of low emission hybrids weakens its effectiveness. The episode unpacks the policy's nuances, the role of fleet managers, and the potential market transformation through fleet electrification.
The market responded without hesitation.
Corporate electric vehicle uptake surged — climbing 13 to 15 percentage points per year. By 2025, Belgium's fleet zero-emission vehicle share hit 54.2 per cent. In 2021, it was 8.8 per cent. Over the same period, Germany — Europe's industrial heavyweight — crept to 19.1 per cent.
Belgium proved something simple: change the tax, change the market. Fast.
Those precedent matters because in December 2025, the European Commission unveiled a regulation that could remake how Europeans buy, drive and eventually inherit their cars.
The Clean Corporate Vehicles Regulation (CCVR) — part of the wider Automotive Package — sets out to electrify corporate fleets, the single largest slice of Europe's new car market. The strategy is elegant: turn company cars into a conveyor belt that pushes affordable electric vehicles into the hands of ordinary drivers within a few years.
If Europe wants to change what people drive, it should start with the cars that businesses buy in bulk, run hard and swap out quickly so the rest of us can buy them second hand.
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The Commission agrees with that much. Its proposal for a Clean Corporate Vehicles Regulation, tucked into the EU’s automotive package, aims to push corporate fleets towards zero and low emission vehicles from 2030.
Transport & Environment, the clean transport group that spends its days reading the small print, has now read it. It likes the premise. But it does not like the numbers.
gas guzzlers
"It phased out the depreciation write-offs for gas guzzlers."
Gas guzzlers are cars that use a lot of gas and are not very fuel efficient. Because they waste gas, some governments tax them more to help protect the environment.
Gas guzzlers are vehicles that consume a large amount of fuel compared to typical cars, often due to large engines or poor fuel efficiency. They are often targeted by taxes or regulations to encourage more environmentally friendly vehicles.
battery electric vehicle
"But a battery electric vehicle stays 100%. And that signal was unmistakable, so the market responded with no hesitation back in 2021."
A battery electric vehicle is a car that runs only on electricity stored in batteries, so it doesn't use gas or diesel.
A battery electric vehicle (BEV) is a type of electric vehicle that uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs to power electric motors, without an internal combustion engine.
zero emission vehicle
"And by last year, Belgium's fleet zero emission vehicle share was 54.2%. In 2021, corporates at worth 8.8%."
Zero emission vehicles are cars that don’t make any pollution when they drive, like electric cars.
Zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) are vehicles that produce no tailpipe emissions, such as electric cars or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, helping reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Clean Corporate Vehicles Regulation
"The Clean Corporate Vehicles Regulation is part of the wider automotive package. And what this is about is setting out to electrify corporate fleets."
This is a rule in Europe that wants companies to use more electric cars to help the environment.
The Clean Corporate Vehicles Regulation is a European Commission policy aimed at electrifying corporate vehicle fleets to reduce emissions and promote electric vehicle adoption.
corporate fleets
"And what this is about is setting out to electrify corporate fleets. Not the kind of cars you and I buy, but the kind of fleets that are buying hundreds of cars at a time."
These are big groups of cars that companies buy and use for their business.
Corporate fleets refer to large groups of vehicles owned or leased by companies, often used for business purposes and purchased in bulk.
electric vehicles (EVs)
"Turn company cars into a conveyor belt and it'll push EVs from corporate fleets into private buyers' hands in a few years time."
These are cars that run on electricity instead of gas or diesel, which helps keep the air clean.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are cars powered entirely or primarily by electric motors using energy stored in batteries, producing zero tailpipe emissions.
EV
"You can set mandates and tell people you will buy an EV."
An EV is a car that runs on electricity instead of gas. It helps keep the air cleaner because it doesn't make smoke like regular cars.
EV stands for Electric Vehicle, which is a car powered entirely or partially by electricity instead of traditional gasoline or diesel fuel. EVs produce zero tailpipe emissions and are considered key to reducing pollution and dependence on fossil fuels.
zero and low emission vehicles
"...and it wants to push corporate fleets towards zero and low emission vehicles."
These are cars that don't make much pollution when you drive them. Some use electricity, and some use a mix of gas and electricity to pollute less.
Zero and low emission vehicles are cars that produce little to no harmful emissions while driving. Zero emission vehicles include battery electric cars, while low emission vehicles might include hybrids or vehicles using cleaner fuels.
ZEV
"So you've got to write ZEV, so ZEV, zero emission vehicles. So that is, for instance, hydrogen, or any other technology neutral solution."
ZEV means a car that doesn't pollute the air when it drives, like electric or hydrogen cars.
ZEV stands for Zero Emission Vehicle, which refers to vehicles that produce no tailpipe emissions, such as electric vehicles or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
BEV
"They just can't be seen as favoring BEV, but let's face it, it's the only technology in town."
BEV means a car that runs only on batteries and electricity, with no gas engine.
BEV stands for Battery Electric Vehicle, which is a type of zero emission vehicle powered entirely by batteries without an internal combustion engine.
clean company cars
""You set a quota for clean company cars. You let the big fleets do their work, so buy the cars, run the cars,""
Clean company cars are cars that companies use which don't pollute much, like electric cars. They help keep the air cleaner.
Clean company cars refer to vehicles used by businesses that meet certain environmental standards, typically electric or low-emission vehicles, aimed at reducing pollution and carbon footprint.
loophole
"T&E calls it a loophole that gives car makers exactly the get out of jail free card that they've wanted for years to keep flogging their gas guzzlers with some tiny batteries in a plug."
A loophole is like a trick or gap in the rules that lets car makers get away with selling cars that still pollute a lot, even if they add a small electric battery.
A loophole in automotive policy refers to a gap or ambiguity that allows car manufacturers to meet regulations without fully complying with the intended environmental goals, often by using minimal electric components in otherwise gas-powered cars.
combustion engine
"The risks of locking in polluting, combustion, gas, guzzling cars,"
A combustion engine is the part of a car that makes it go by burning fuel like petrol or diesel inside it. This burning creates power that moves the car.
A combustion engine is an engine that generates power by burning fuel such as petrol or diesel inside the engine cylinders. This process creates expanding gases that move pistons and produce mechanical power.
diesel
"petrol and diesel into the regulations is a really big danger."
Diesel is another kind of fuel used in some cars and trucks. It helps the engine run and is different from petrol.
Diesel is a type of fuel used in diesel engines, which are a kind of internal combustion engine. Diesel engines are often more fuel-efficient and have higher torque than petrol engines but produce different emissions.
petrol
"petrol and diesel into the regulations is a really big danger."
Petrol is the fuel you put in many cars to make them run. It burns inside the engine to help the car move.
Petrol, also known as gasoline, is a common fuel used in internal combustion engines. It is derived from crude oil and is burned to produce energy to power vehicles.
onboard fuel consumption meters
"The onboard fuel consumption meters that show real-world consumption show three, four, five times, often five times more emissions than the official data."
These are gadgets inside cars that tell you how much gas you're using while you drive, so you can know if you're using a lot or a little.
Onboard fuel consumption meters are devices in vehicles that measure and display the real-time fuel usage, allowing drivers to see how much fuel their car is consuming during driving.
fuel card
"But if you've got a fuel card, why are you charging it home? It's just costing you money."
A fuel card is like a special credit card that lets you buy gas, usually given by your company to pay for fuel without using cash.
A fuel card is a payment card used by drivers to purchase fuel, often provided by employers or fleet operators to manage fuel expenses efficiently.
Fraunhofer Institute
""...about a German institute, the Fraunhofer Institute, looking at real-world data...""
The Fraunhofer Institute is a big research group in Germany that studies things like how much pollution cars really make when they are driven on the road.
The Fraunhofer Institute is a German research organization known for applied scientific research, including studies on automotive emissions and real-world vehicle performance.
plug-in hybrid
""...which showed that it's five times more polluting to drive a plug-in hybrid than the official numbers.""
A plug-in hybrid is a car that can run on both gas and electricity. You can charge it by plugging it in, and it can drive some distance using just electricity before using gas.
A plug-in hybrid is a type of vehicle that combines a gasoline or diesel engine with an electric motor and a rechargeable battery that can be charged by plugging into an external power source. It can run on electric power alone for a limited range before switching to the internal combustion engine.
EV market
"would have to maybe have their corporate fleets outgrow the actual overall EV market by seven to eight percentage points a year."
The EV market is all about electric cars and how many people are buying and using them.
The EV market refers to the segment of the automotive industry focused on electric vehicles, including sales, production, and adoption trends.
registration tax
"Battery electric vehicles pay only 40% of the registration tax."
Registration tax is a fee you pay to the government to legally register your car. Different cars can have different fees depending on things like how much pollution they make.
Registration tax is a government-imposed fee that vehicle owners must pay when registering their cars. It often varies based on factors like vehicle type, emissions, and value, and can influence the cost of owning certain vehicles.
CO2 surcharge
"And are exempt from the CO2 surcharge applied to combustion models."
A CO2 surcharge is an extra charge on cars that make pollution. It helps encourage people to choose cleaner cars like electric vehicles.
A CO2 surcharge is an additional fee imposed on vehicles that emit carbon dioxide, intended to discourage pollution and promote cleaner transportation options. Combustion engine vehicles typically face this surcharge, while electric vehicles are often exempt.
company car taxation
"many would say, in its reform of company car taxation, raised benefit in kind for combustion cars, like we did here in the UK"
Company car taxation means rules about how much tax you pay if your work gives you a car to use. These rules can make companies pick certain cars over others.
Company car taxation refers to the tax policies applied to vehicles provided by employers to their employees for personal use. These taxes often influence the types of cars companies choose for their fleets, especially regarding emissions and fuel types.
benefit in kind
"raised benefit in kind for combustion cars, like we did here in the UK"
Benefit in kind means when your job gives you something extra, like a car, and you have to pay tax on it because it's a benefit, not just money.
Benefit in kind is a tax term describing non-cash benefits provided to employees, such as the use of a company car. It is taxable and often calculated based on the car's value and emissions.
CO2 targets
"but largely they've got to hit CO2 targets or pay massive fines. They should be behind this because if fleets buy more EVs..."
CO2 targets are rules that say car companies can only make cars that pollute a certain amount. If they make cars that pollute too much, they have to pay money as a penalty.
CO2 targets are regulatory limits set by governments on the amount of carbon dioxide emissions that car manufacturers can produce on average across their fleet. Automakers must meet these targets to avoid paying fines.
used car market
"the used car market 8 in 10 people buy used cars."
The used car market is where people buy cars that have already been owned by someone else. These cars usually cost less than brand-new ones.
The used car market refers to the buying and selling of pre-owned vehicles, which is a significant segment of the automotive industry. Many buyers prefer used cars due to lower prices compared to new vehicles.
lease deals
"We get really interested in new cars, lease deals and monthly offers."
Lease deals let you use a new car for some time by paying monthly, but you don't own the car at the end.
Lease deals are agreements where a customer pays to use a new car for a set period, usually a few years, without owning it. Leasing often includes monthly payments and mileage limits.
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