The EV transition is gaining pace, but business leaders must drive a faster, fairer global shift, writes Dominic Phinn, our Head of Transport
It’s hard to believe we have tolerated the internal combustion engine in our cars, vans, trucks for well over 100 years – an outdated technology that pollutes our air and heats our planet. Yet, we live in an atmosphere where misinformation and the stubborn persistence of myths would us believe that business-as-usual in road transport is somehow sustainable. Why?
Change is rarely painless, and shifting towards a decarbonised road transport system made up of electric vehicles (EVs) has its challenges – but many of these challenges are easier to overcome than those in other sectors we need to decarbonise.
Take a closer look at the resistance to EV adoption, and you can see that it doesn’t, primarily, stem from consumers (even though popular narratives would often have us believe it does). It certainly doesn’t stem from corporates.
It’s the automotive industry itself that is the biggest blocker. A significant portion of incumbent manufacturers, burdened by substantial legacy investments in internal combustion engine technology, see the EV transition as a threat rather than a transformative opportunity.
If you consider this fierce resistance and the monumental scale of the transformation, the progress we have made over recent years is incredible. It proves both EV technology's superiority and market inevitability.
In Norway, the poster child market for the transition, EV sales accounted for 88.9% of all new car sales in 2024, according to the Norwegian Road Federation. Close behind, it’s not just markets like the UK that are catching up fast, but an increasing number in the Global South countries, such as Vietnam, which surpassed Europe in EV sales share in 2024, and Thailand, which outpaced the US, according to ICCT data.
The global EV transition isn’t just coming – it’s already here, and gaining momentum.
According to the IEA, global electric light-duty vehicle sales are set to reach 40% in 2030 and almost 55% in 2035 based on current policy settings.
We cannot underestimate the role companies have played in kickstarting this shift: fleet electrification is the key driver. As the entry point for the majority of new vehicles in most countries (in the EU, 6 out of 10 new car registrations are corporate), businesses have significant power to shift markets.
Forward-thinking companies, like those in Climate Group’s EV100 network, have committed to fully electrifying their fleets and have been at the forefront of this transition for almost a decade. They have pioneered practical solutions, overcome early market barriers, and helped demonstrate that large-scale fleet electrification is not only possible, but achievable – with the right ambition and planning.
Our new EV100 Transition Barometer, developed in partnership with New AutoMotive, shows just how much momentum there is behind this global trend. The report assesses the landscape for fleet electrification. It identifies 13 advanced markets, led by Norway, Ethiopia, China and the UK (as reported by Business Green). Singapore, South Korea and Uruguay also make this tier. A second segment of emerging markets is led by countries including India, Thailand, Chile and Colombia.
But the report also clearly shows how uneven progress remains around the world.
Climate Group has reconfigured EV100 to reflect these evolving realities of the global transition – and meet this critical moment head on. By linking advanced and emerging markets, we will deepen how we learn from each other and share best practice – and drive demand for EVs across the globe. By building new alliances with policymakers, charging providers and manufacturers, we will break down the unique barriers facing commercial fleets from geography to geography – from grid constraints to financing gaps.
What needs to happen now?
Policy frameworks must deliver certainty and ambition. Clear, consistent regulations and incentives are essential to accelerate investment and give businesses and consumers the confidence to make the switch.
To support the growing adoption of EVs, charging infrastructure needs to keep pace. It needs to be developed rapidly and strategically and should be equitable, serving both urban and rural communities, accommodating diverse vehicle types (light and heavy-duty), and catering to public and private fleets.
To support the growing adoption of EVs, charging infrastructure must be developed rapidly and strategically. This expansion should be equitable, serving both urban and rural communities, accommodating diverse vehicle types, and catering to public and private fleets.
Collaboration must go global. No one can do this alone. We need deeper cooperation between businesses, governments, and civil society across regions to share solutions, align standards, and unlock finance, particularly in emerging markets.
This op-ed was first published by Business Green, the UK's leading source of information for the green economy, delivering the latest news and in-depth analysis on green business, environmental policy, climate change and nature issues. Business Green is a media partner for the EV100 relaunch.
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