SUSTAINABILITY
Navigating Europe’s path to sustainable light commercial vehicles
Leyla Alieva, Co-Founder and CEO, and David Wilson, Head of Products, NEOL Copper Technologies
The light commercial vehicle (LCV) sector plays a vital role in European transportation, with more than 30 million vans on the road in the EU alone. Used for deliveries, trades, and services, including transporting goods, equipment and people, companies and organisations of all shapes and sizes rely on LCVs. Yet despite this reliance, adoption of sustainable lubricant and fuel solutions and a migration to renewable energy has been slow.
Did you know that the overwhelming majority (90.7%) of these vehicles are diesel-powered whilst only 0.8% are electric?1
As the world strives for greener solutions, understanding the dynamics of the LCV market in the UK and Europe is essential to creating effective future environmental and economic policies.
Despite the growth in electric vehicles (EVs) driven by consumers, the market share for electric LCVs is not growing as rapidly as hoped by both governments and environmental campaigners. In fact, it’s shrinking in some areas2
, indicating a disconnect between
policy ambitions and market realities. Factors like high prices, range anxiety, and logistical concerns related to charging infrastructure are unfortunately contributing to this trend. For policymakers, this raises questions about the effectiveness of current incentives and the need for alternative or complementary solutions.
It is an unfortunate fact that the transition to electric and biofuel-powered LCVs will be slow, but solutions that optimise their efficiency are ready to be used now. A drive to make existing fleets more sustainable would bridge between fossil fuels and renewables, allowing for progress to take shape in the future. By optimising fuel use, with smart routing solutions and utilising advanced lubricant technologies to maintain maximum fuel efficiency throughout a vehicle’s lifespan, preventing deterioration from wear and tear, LCV operators can achieve a sustainable transition path. Meanwhile, the infrastructure needed for greater adoption of biofuels and electric vehicles can continue to evolve.
1 ACEA – Vehicles on European Roads 2024:
https://www.acea.auto/files/ACEA-Report-Vehicles-on-European-roads-.pdf 2
https://www.fleeteurope.com/en/last-mile/europe/features/lcv-sales-electric-share-falls-dramatically?a=FJA05&t%5B0%5D=LCVs&t%5B1%5D=Electrifi- cation&t%5B2%5D=charging%20infrastructure&curl=
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LUBE MAGAZINE NO.185 FEBRUARY 2025
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