Fleet Scotland

Insights shared on new electrification technologies and safety strategies at Fleet Scotland Network meeting Approximately 40 fleet professionals attended the second 2026 meeting of the Fleet Scotland Network at The Scotsman Hotel in Edinburgh. The meeting on May 28 featured presentations from safety and electrification experts on the latest developments that will impact fleets, a conversational one-to-one interview with a leading fleet professional, and roundtable discussions on important industry topics. Dr Euan McTurk from Plug Life Consulting defined the challenges presented by electrification and the potential of solid-state batteries. Transport Scotland’s Steven Feeney provided insights into the future of road safety and incident prevention across Scotland. The meeting also featured a one-to-one conversation with Warmworks sustainable transport manager Andrea McKenzie, on her career and her views on topics like leadership, salary sacrifice, and electrification. For more information on the Fleet Scotland Network – click here

Battery types in use Dr McTurk defined the basics of electric vehicle (EV) battery technology and explained how a lithium-ion cell works, before discussing the question of lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) vs lithium iron phosphate (LFP). McTurk explained the benefits of LFP, noting it is cheaper, longer-lasting, safer and more ethical than the NMC used in most EVs prior to 2020. However, NMC is more energy-dense than LFC, with more range per charge. Tesla and MG were highlighted as brands that currently use LFP in their vehicles, along with a case study example of Ember and its intercity buses. “They are basically in operation 24/7,” said McTurk. “If they're not on the motorway or picking up passengers, they are being rapid charged. They are all powered by LFP batteries – not the most energy-dense battery but, because you've got the big bus, you've got loads of room for the battery, so you still get good range even at high speed.” The first of Ember’s buses, McTurk explained, have clocked more than 650,000 kilometres with their batteries still maintaining a high overall state of health (SOF) capacity (80%). Thermal runway and EV fire hazards Thermal runway was defined, as McTurk explained how electric battery cells can – in extreme circumstances – set on fire when significantly damaged. However, he was quick to disagree with the view of EVs as a notable fire hazard, stating that EVs are actually 20-80-times less likely to catch fire than petrol or diesel vehicles. He pointed out how, for every 100,000 sales in the States, there are only approximately 25 electric fires occurring with EVs versus more than 1,500 for gas-powered cars, but that hybrid vehicles are worse in this regard. Additionally, he pointed out how, in Sweden, the EV fleets have doubled in the space of three years, but the number of EV fires per year has remained the same. "EVs are getting safer," McTurk concluded. EV recalls and battery suppliers The conversation shifted to why battery-related EV recalls happen and best practice for automotive manufacturers. Public examples of recalls were highlighted, from the Mercedes EQA+ and EQB+ models with batteries supplied by Farasis, to Volvo's EX30 with battery supplied by Sunwoda. The battery suppliers were identified as risky prospects with unknown or suspect track records. McTurk said: "Farasis had been pretty much unheard of outside of China, and even there they were fairly unknown. "With Sunwoda, we already knew they had issues because the original Dacia Spring EV had a fiery incident in Romania. That's what happens when you buy cheap cells that are badly made. The lesson, McTurk maintained, is to ensure you have done your technical due diligence on your battery suppliers. "If you buy cheap, you buy twice, and you buy public embarrassment." Indeed, he recommended buying from larger brands to ensure greater safety – highlighting the military-level quality control demonstrated by brands like CATL, BYD, SK on, Panasonic, and Samsung SDI. For fleets, McTurk acknowledged the challenges involved in identifying the brand of cells used in an EV, as this information is not stated in a vehicle manual. However, he explained that it can sometimes be obtained using a decoder, or by demanding the information from the OEM. Optimising batteries in cold weather Best practice for solving cold weather performance were made, with McTurk noting that EV batteries frequently lose range in winter due to reduced temperatures. "LFP is particularly bad at losing range in winter," McTurk noted. "But there is a way to resolve this, and that is heat packs." Often provided as optional extras in EVs, heat packs allow drivers to heat the vehicle when cold and can enable fleets to recoup some of the range and performance, particularly when rapid charging. Solid-state cells and the future of EV battery technology McTurk offered his thoughts on what fleets can expect in the future, highlighting sodium-ion cells as likely the next development for EV battery chemistry. He explained that sodium-ion cells are cheaper to make, can maintain a consistent year-round range per charge, and can be reversibly discharged to zero volts – making them easier and safer to ship. However, they are less energy dense than current NMC batteries and recent price reductions in other battery types have minimised the cost advantage of sodium-ion cells. Solid-state batteries were also discussed as a potential gamechanger for EVs, with McTurk noting how manufacturers are discussing the possibility of under-10-minute charge times for vehicles with solid-state cells. However, regular usage is still years away, with BMW testing solid-state cells but having no plans to launch EVs with solid state batteries until the 2030s. McTurk commented: "Not because of the technological capability, but because they are more expensive to produce at the moment." Semi-solid-state cells are already in use, particularly in China, but McTurk held that the differences between them and conventional EV batteries are minimal.

Vision for road safety Feeney established the critical goals for road safety in Scotland, with targets for 2030 that will lead to a long-term goal of ‘Vision Zero’ with no deaths or serious injuries on Scottish roads by 2050. Targets for 2030 include: Halving the number of serious and fatal injuries. A 60% reduction in fatalities and injuries for children (aged 16-and-under). Feeney noted that fleet involvement will be crucial to achieving these goals. He said: “The vehicles you buy, the standards that you set for driving for work, and the data you hold, all of those directly influence risk on our road network. “Almost one-in-five road collisions involve a commercial vehicle. For those of you responsible for fleets, you're not just part of the system, you’re actually really critical to helping Scotland achieve its road safety ambitions.” This initiative has received £41 million in funding and is built on the ‘Safe System’, a methodology that accepts human error. Feeney explained: “The safe system is effectively a way of thinking about road safety that accepts human error as inevitable. Rather than relying on perfect behaviour, it focuses on a road network that protects people when mistakes happen. “Put simply, the goal in relation to the safe system isn't no crashes, it's no deaths or serious injuries.” Current performance Feeney explained the progress that is being made towards the 2030 road safety targets, with reductions in the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) in collisions. The number of people killed in collisions seen a reduction of 7% and the number of serious injuries has reduced by 27% when compared to a baseline average taken from statistics between 2014-2018. Both KSI targets are not at their goal of 50% reduction by 2030, and the figures per-year are not showing a linear change, with 2024 showing a rise in KSI collisions where at least one driver or rider was driving for work. However, Feeney emphasised that 2025 should see greater strides, particularly in fatalities. “The indications are better,” he said. “We're expecting a significant reduction in fatalities, potentially down 20% compared to 2024.” Action and delivery Feeney explained how action is being taken across four key areas to ensure that 2030 and 2050 road safety targets are achieved. Encouragement – speed management policy change. Education – national behaviour change campaigns. Engineering – local and trunk road measures. Enforcement – safety camera programme. For speed management, Scotland is introducing 20-mph limits on appropriate roads, including roads in the area of schools, sports facilities, and community centres. Additionally, speed limits for HGVs are being increased (from 40 to 50-mph on general carriageways and from 50 to 60-mph on dual carriageways) to reduce driver frustration and improve journey time. Regarding education, Feeney noted that efforts are underway to drive positive behavioural change. He said: “We fund a whole range of national behaviour change campaigns that aim to encourage a change in behaviours that have had serious road safety consequences. “That includes impairment, drink, and drunk driving, along with fatigue, and also encouraging people to drive at safe speeds.” Feeney explained how solutions can be engineered, thanks to initiatives like the Road Safety Improvement Fund enabling parity, casualty and risk reduction measures, or treatment schemes like cash barriers. Additionally, Transport Scotland is funding the Scotland Safety Camera programme to deploy automated camera technologies. Feeney explained: “That’s fixed cameras, mobile, or average speed technology, which I'm sure you're all familiar with, and that includes location and evidence on speeding profiles.” The Scottish Occupational Road Safety Alliance (SCORSA) was mentioned as an organisation funded by Transport Scotland that can provide assistance with managing road-related risk. “It's free to join SCORSA, and it gives employers practical support from e-learning to research and regular campaigns that are focused on real-world risks,” Feeney said. “They offer a range of tools to help people take action, for example, building the business case for road safety, and they've also recently published a best practice guide on managing occupational road risk, and they also prepare sector-specific toolkits for fleets. “For fleets, this is about making road safety part of everyday operations – it’s not and should never be an add-on. SCORSA genuinely does design an accessible way to do that.” Final thoughts and the future Feeney highlighted the positive relationship between the Scottish and UK governments with regards to road safety, and the importance of the General Safety Regulations package of vehicle safety measures designed to reduce the number of people that are killed and seriously injured on roads. He said: “I do not think I could put too fine a point on it by saying this is the biggest advancement in vehicle safety, arguably, since the seatbelt.” Seatbelts themselves became a point of discussion, with Feeney highlighting that more than 20% of in-car fatalities involve people who are not wearing seatbelts, and that the penalty for not wearing one is just £100 with zero penalty points. Feeney said: “We think in Scotland that is wrong and that it needs a stronger deterrent. “We believe the offence for not wearing a seatbelt should be in-line with using a mobile phone, and that's a minimum of £200 fine and six points.” Following recent Scottish parliamentary elections, there is a new government in place. Feeney highlighted their commitment to the Scotland Road Safety Framework to 2030 and remain committed to the current investment plans in place. Feeney also spoke about upcoming considerations for new road safety undertakings, including current considerations on establishing a direct vision standard (DVS) to improve driver visibility and safety for vulnerable road users. “We are doing all we can to deliver against our national reduction targets, and ultimately we’re trying to make Scotland’s roads as safe as possible.”

Euan McTurk: Battery technology – recalls and the future of EV performance Dr Euan McTurk, consultant battery electrochemist at Plug Life Consulting, defined the challenges facing OEMs when dealing with battery technology and its impact on vehicle performance, and offered his thoughts on the potential of solid-state batteries.

Road safety in Scotland with Steven Feeney Transport Scotland's head of road safety policy, Steven Feeney, provided an overview of Scotland's road safety ambitions and how they could impact fleets.

Electric cars replace diesel vans at Warmworks

What are the biggest pressures influencing fleet decision‑making today, and how are operators adapting? Cost Cost was highlighted by all participants as a key challenge, especially in relation to oil prices caused by the current conflict in Iran. Fleets said they are facing unavoidable additional costs to fuel their vehicles, with the impact also being felt on electric models. Vehicle prices are also rising, forcing fleet operators to be cautious when selecting vehicles. This is also affecting lifecyles as some businesses are having to keep vans for longer. EV transition Some fleets are finding it easier to electrify than others, with charging infrastructure highlighted as one of the key challenges for van fleets. Installing home chargers isn’t always possible and public chargers are very expensive, compared to running diesel vans. Depot charging is preferred but the installation costs are high and not all businesses have room to store vans overnight. Vehicle choice is improving and newer models with longer ranges and faster charging speeds are making the switch easier. Driver acceptance is also increasing, with more drivers readily accepting electric vehicles once they’ve had a go in one. Telematics was highlighted as a key tool in designing an EV transition plan, enabling operators to identify key locations for charging infrastructure to support their operations. Fleets advised running vans for shorter lifecycles so they still have some residual value left, rather than running them until they are worthless. To help drivers adapt to new vehicles, one business recorded some short handover videos that can be accessed via a QR code sticker in the van. Aftersales and SMR Lead times for vehicle servicing was raised as a concern, with many vehicles waiting weeks or even months for work. A proactive approach helps to minimise vehicle downtime but in the case of unexpected breakdowns fleets are relying on expensive rental while their vehicles await a slot in a workshop. Fleets are thinking more carefully about which brand they purchase vehicles from to ensure there is adequate dealer coverage in their area. Some are also having discussions with leasing companies about the use of third-party workshops, to avoid main dealer backlogs. The impact of emerging vehicle brands on fleet policy An informal discussion was held on how emerging vehicle brands are shaping fleet policies, and how to weigh competitive pricing against considerations like aftersales support, parts availability, service networks and residual values. Key points included: Policy is starting to be shaped by government - either directly or through grants. A few years ago, you might have leased or bought from emerging manufacturer brands based on their competitive pricing, but now EV grants are putting European manufacturers back in the picture. With so many new manufacturer brands coming into the market in the UK, there is a concern that some OEMs will not be here still in a few years – which presents a significant risk – so many fleets are choosing to wait and see which brands survive before deciding on procurement. The prevailing opinion was that most surviving brands will be Chinese. The impact of the disruption caused by COVID-19 was highlighted as still ongoing – particularly in areas of vehicle procurement. Eight years ago, price was the most important factor, but now quality is becoming more key to purchasing decisions, as is ensuring that supporting infrastructure is available. A guarantee of strong aftersales support is another crucial factor that informs purchasing decisions. Telematics solutions were widely praised by participants, with particular appreciation for Ford’s telematics offering that provides regular email updates with tailored summaries and warnings – particularly as this solution was discussed as available as a basic service with just one Ford vehicle in a fleet. The need for effective and speedy repair provision was discussed, with one decision-maker expressing how, particularly with EVs, it can be difficult to know how complex a repair job will be – which impacts VOR expectations. A question was raised as to whether buying from Chinese brands is a sustainable choice, given the shipments made to factories and the materials involved in production. It was noted in discussion that the choice for fleets seems to primarily be between different EVs – with diesel models not as common in the UK market as they have been. Risks and challenges facing fleet managers The risks posed by engaging with emerging manufacturer brands, the challenges posed by vehicle downtime, and the realities of EV adoption and fleet management were discussed by attendees. Key points included: Hesitation around whether or not to choose vehicles from new or lesser-known manufacturers. Despite such vehicles often presented with cheaper upfront costs, the operational risks – from lack of spare parts and downtime support to limited dealer networks and service availability – and their potential to heighten costs were raised as concerns. Cost was noted as a significant element for fleet decision-makers to consider, but the guarantee of consistent service support and minimal VOR were noted as incredibly valuable to fleets and often worth higher upfront costs. Downtime was raised as a serious concern for fleets, with many at the table noting that, despite advances in technology, vehicle downtime has gotten worse in recent years, with one participant saying that one-in-ten (10%) of their vehicles may be unavailable at any given time due to delays with service, maintenance and repair (SMR). The table stressed that a dealer network has a responsibility to ensure that qualified technicians are available – with one participant saying that a local dealer is useless if a qualified technician is 70 miles away. When discussing EV adoption, participants highlighted operational barriers preventing them from achieving success. Regulatory pressure to electrify was noted, though the lack of practical support systems was raised as an issue. Concerns around range and battery capacity – especially in the winter when up in Scotland – were discussed, with a lack of driver buy-in also registered as a concern. The question of leasing or purchasing was raised, with participants discussing uncertainty around residual values and the risk involved – particularly with EVs. Good customer service and a positive relationship with leasing providers were noted as often the factors that make a leasing experience work for a fleet manager. The impact of driver behaviour on elements like SMR, as well as range and battery performance for EVs was given attention. Participants noted the differences between careful drivers and ones with poor driving habits – with the latter frequently found to ignore warning lights, delay with reporting faults, and causing avoidable repair costs. Telematics solutions and driver monitoring systems were held as useful and a necessary inclusion when procuring new vehicles. Safety - Fleets role in achieving the Transport Scotland Vision Zero… challenges, use of technology, stakeholder buy-in. The investigation into the bin lorry disaster in 2014, where the vehicle collided with pedestrians in Glasgow city centre killing six and injuring 15, led to a series of recommendations which acted as a catalyst for many public sector fleets to re-write their health and safety policies. Measures which initially focused on HGVs also filtered down to all vehicles on the fleet, not just those sitting directly under the O-Licence. However, despite this, fleets were still struggling to achieve buy in to their policies, resulting in non-compliance for even basic procedures, such as daily walk-round checks. “We educate them, we explain that this is their livelihood they are risking, and we do gate checks, but we still always find drivers who aren’t doing them,” said one public sector fleet manager. He added: “It is often seen that safety sits with the fleet manager, but operations managers also have a responsibility to ensure their drivers are complying with policy. We need them to back us up.” Another fleet manager suggested that ensuring policy compliance could feel like sticking a finger in a dam. He explained: “If we have a CPC driver who does the training every six months where they are told about phone use still using their phone while driving, just how widespread is it? We need even more education, including the fact they could lose their job.” Policy is crucial; it’s not good enough simply to have the technology, such as dashcams and telematics. The policy needs to back up the technology in order for fleets to tackle any issues. However, sometimes even policy isn’t enough in the public sector. Several fleets have written safety policies but can’t get them through. Obstructions include councillors, chief executives and unions. The answer? Legislation. “if our policy is backed by legislation, it makes our job easier,” said one fleet manager. “It means we have to implement the policy because it is the law. Without that, it is very difficult to get it through. It has to come from top down.” One workaround is to change the angle of the policy. One fleet is piloting alcohol-locks on HGVs which drivers have to breathe into before the vehicle can be driven. However, rather than put the focus on disciplinary action, it was about rehabilitation, help and support. “That was the only way we were able to get sign off,” he said. “We have clear policies for everything but if you do go down a disciplinary route, you have to know the ins and outs of employment law because the union reps will through everything at you. It feels like a court case.”

Roundtable discussions Attendees shared their opinions and insights on current issues and challenges faced across the sector.

When Andrea McKenzie first joined environmental charity Changeworks as a temporary office administrator, a career in fleet management was nowhere on the horizon. Yet today, as sustainable transport manager at Warmworks, she has become a fleet electrification champion, helping transform a predominantly diesel-powered operation into one where 90% of vehicles are now electric. Speaking at the Fleet Scotland event, in Edinburgh, McKenzie told delegates how her route into the industry was anything but traditional. After joining Changeworks, she found herself unexpectedly responsible for fleet management when a colleague left midway through a fleet review project. "I had to work out how to do it myself," she told delegates at the Fleet Scotland conference. Rather than relying on external expertise, she immersed herself in the data, developing her own understanding of fleet operations and sustainability. The results spoke for themselves. The fleet she managed went on to win multiple industry awards. In 2024, McKenzie joined Warmworks with a clear brief: electrify the fleet. The challenge was significant. Around 80% of the organisation's vehicles were diesel vans used by teams travelling across Scotland to install energy efficiency measures. However, the available electric van market could not meet the range requirements of many drivers. McKenzie’s solution was bold. Instead of simply replacing diesel vans with electric equivalents, she led a shift towards electric cars with larger boots and greater range. The transition has been dramatic. In just over two years, Warmworks' fleet has moved from 18% electric vehicles to 90%, across approximately 50 vehicles. The success, McKenzie said, has been built on careful planning and driver engagement rather than technology alone. "You need to have time to give a proper electric vehicle induction," she explained. Drivers were supported with charging guidance, route planning advice and practical tips for maximising efficiency. Rather than forcing change, McKenzie focused on building confidence and allowing positive experiences to spread through the workforce. Her approach reflects a broader leadership philosophy centred on empathy and credibility. "Don't ask your drivers to do anything that you wouldn't be willing to do yourself," she said. A long-time EV driver herself, McKenzie has owned a Kia Soul EV for more than five years, giving her first-hand experience of the benefits and challenges of electric motoring. The environmental impact has been significant. Warmworks has reduced annual fleet carbon emissions from 108 tonnes to 52 tonnes in a single year, while average fleet emissions now stand at just 17g/km. For McKenzie, however, fleet management is about more than statistics. Whether drawing on lessons learned from a previous career in theatre and performance or overcoming scepticism around EVs, she believes success comes from storytelling, resilience and purpose. "Fleet management is about winning hearts and minds," she said.

Euan McTurk: Battery technology

stephen feeney: Road safety in Scotland

Roundtable discussions

Andrea McKenzie: Electric cars replace diesel vans at Warmworks

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