Calls for deferral of electric van MOT in the UK

The Association of Fleet Operators (AFP) in the UK is calling for an official deferral for MOTs on 4.25-tonne electric vans as some fleets report finding tests “impossible” to book.

For MOT test purposes, this special category of vans is treated as a heavy goods vehicle (HGV), meaning that it has to be tested at one-year-old rather than three, and also faces a more rigorous examination.

For a new commercial vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) over 3.5-tonnes, it is mandatory to undergo the first MOT within one year from the end of the month of its first registration.

An example is described by Aaron Powell, fleet and logistics director at Speedy Hire in the UK, an AFP member being affected and reports that his company will have to potentially take a number of vehicles off the road.

“These 4.25-tonne vans require a Class 7 HGV MOT test and, between generally poor capacity for HGV testing and few test centres being able to handle electric vehicles, we’re finding it impossible on a practical level to book tests. Our lease provider has spent the last three months trying to find garages with the ability to carry out the pre-testing and source available slots for the test with limited success.

“This is going to have a serious impact on our business because we’re going to have to take these vans off the road and no doubt many other fleets are finding themselves in the same situation.”

Lorna McAtear, vice chair at the AFP, said: “It’s questionable whether 4.25-tonne electric vans require HGV tests, an argument we have been making to government for some time. The whole point of this category of van when it was introduced in 2019 was to provide easy access for fleets to an electric equivalent of a 3.5-tonne panel van. These vehicles are simply 3.5-tonne vans with bigger batteries.

“The difficulties members are encountering around their inability to book MOT testing only emphasises this confusion. While the situation is being resolved, we would like to see government and the official bodies involved introduce some form of dispensation, similar to that created during the pandemic, allowing fleets to defer tests for a period of perhaps six or 12 months on 4.25-tonnes for the first and second year of testing, giving them time to find and book testing facilities. It is disappointing that businesses working in good faith to electrify their light commercial vehicle operations are being affected in this manner.”

She added that despite a willingness on the part of government to try and overcome issues surrounding 4.25-tonne vans, problems remained.

Government consultation on 4.25-tonne electric van regulations
The British government is aware of issues and is trying to resolve the situation through the current consultation (‘Zero emission vans: regulatory flexibility’), because there remains widespread belief that the 4.25-tonne concept remains worth pursuing as a means of speeding up van electrification.

The consultation period began last month on 24th December, and runs until 3rd March 2025. It is seeking views on regulations related to annual vehicle testing, drivers’ hours – tachographs and speed limiter devices for electric vans. It aims to provide re-defined regulations that fall within the current 4.25-tonne derogation, and that will not hold-back sales of electric vans.

A key element was introduced in 2018 the UK – a derogation to driving licence rules allows category B licence holders (standard car driving licence) to drive alternatively fuelled goods vans with a maximum authorised weight of 4.25-tonne.

The main proposals in this consultation are to:

• Transfer the annual testing of zero emission goods vehicles (ZEGVs), with a GVW of 3.5t to 4.25t, from the heavy vehicle testing system to the MOT network, with the tests used for 3t to 3.5t goods vehicles put in place
• Amend annual testing schedules for ZEGVs, with a MAM of 3.5t to 4.25t, so their first test is after three years from first registration (and annually thereafter)
• Remove ZEGVs with a MAM of 3.5t to 4.25t (and when used with a trailer in a combination with a MAM up to 7t) from the requirements for tachograph use, the assimilated drivers’ hours rules (Regulation (EC) 561/2006, as it has effect in the UK) and specific road transport working time rules when used within Great Britain (GB).

HGV Testing in the UK
In addition goods vehicles with a gross weight of more than 3,500 kg, you need to get an HGV, bus or trailer MOT/ annual test in the UK for:

Vehicles that are built or have been adapted to form part of an articulated vehicle; semi-trailers; Horseboxes with a gross weight of more than 3,500kg; ‘A’ frame trailers and converter dollies manufactured on or after 1 January 1979; Trailers with an unladen weight of more than 1,020kg with powered braking systems (instead of standard overrun brakes and as well as the required parking brake); and all public service vehicles (such as buses and coaches) with more than eight passenger seats – not including the driver’s seat.