AFP and the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association had been lobbying HMRC for an increase for some weeks and it has now been increased to five pence per mile, up from 4ppm. The AER for electric vehicles had not changed since 2018, this uplift is seen as a positive move towards providing a supportive environment for the push to zero emission motoring.”

AER specified by HMRC is just 4ppm which, said Paul Hollick, AFP chair, completely fails to cover reimbursement of fuel costs when most individuals are now paying closer to an estimated 18 pence per kwh, which is a stumbling block for fleets adopting EVs.

Government plans will see up to 145,000 charging points installed across the country each year with new-build supermarkets, workplaces and buildings undergoing major renovations also coming under the new law. The announcement has been largely welcomed although there are concerns that the plans do not go far enough.

Drivers will still be able to continue using a device ‘hands-free’ while driving, such as a sat-nav, if it’s secured in a cradle. They must, however, always take responsibility for their driving and can be charged with an offence if the police find them not to be in proper control of their vehicle.

Back on March we looked at the 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder Plug-in-Hybrid 3008. This time round we've been in the sparky , 3-cyclinder 1.2 version. This 1.2-litre engine might sound small for a family SUV, yet it’s more than up to the task. Performance is respectable and it’s economical as well - we achieved an average of just over 40mpg over almost 500 miles.

Fleet management software company FleetCheck said that with more than one million job vacancies in the economy, providing the right company car offering is becoming an especially attractive benefit. Higher levels of taxation in recent years have seen petrol and diesel company cars become perceived as less of an advantage within an overall employment package but EVs have changed that perception completely in a very short space of time.

McNeil's industry experience includes senior roles in Barclays as MD of the Asset Finance division, COO for Barclays Business and MD of Product for all business and corporate lending. In addition, she brings a wealth of consumer finance experience from her time at GE Money and AMEX.

With the Bank of England Monetary Policy Report for November stating that an increase in Base Rate will be 'necessary' to combat rising inflation, there are, as MotoNovo's MD Karl Werner observes, potential implications for the used car stocking mix.

As the desire for quick change and fast purchasing grows, consumers are looking for more ways to get what they want, when they want it. However, the leasing process and wait time can be a lot quicker and smoother than that of buying a new car, something that’s particularly of benefit to emergency services, NHS, and social care workers.