Asda has become the first UK supermarket to switch its entire company car fleet to electric vehicles.
The Big 4 grocer announced that it will be making its 600 cars completely electric by June 2025, five years before the government ban on the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles.
The decision comes after 85 per cent of staff members eligible for a car with their benefits package chose an electric model.
Head and field office colleagues will get to choose from a variety of options, including the Tesla Model 3, Mercedes EQA and EQC, Audi Q4 e-tron, Volkswagen ID.3 and ID.4, Polestar 2 and Volvo XC40 Pure Electric.
The move is set to save more than 2,411 tonnes of CO2, which equates to approximately six million miles driven by the average petrol vehicle.
The switch comes after the Big 4 grocer announced that it has cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 16 per cent in the past year as part of its commitments to lower scope one and two emissions by 50 per cent by 2025.
READ MORE: Asda cuts greenhouse gas emissions by 16%
Staff will also benefit financially from the cost of charging an electric vehicle, which is only a third of the price of petrol or diesel, as well as the fact that company car tax is significantly lower at only one per cent.
“Reducing our carbon footprint is extremely important to us and our customers so we are always looking at ways in which we can make a difference and be a more sustainable business,” Asda reward team senior manager Simon Bell said.
“We are delighted by the enthusiastic uptake in electric cars by our colleagues over the past year years and it is a win-win, as they are helping the environment as well as reducing their own motoring costs.”
The switch will be supported by Zenith, who control the company car fleet and have worked with the supermarket for over 20 years.
“We worked closely with the team at Asda to model the impact of this move and ensure it met the needs of the business and colleagues,” Zenith relationship director Jon Smith said.
“Transitioning the fleet to BEVs creates a significant carbon saving for the business, which supports Asda’s sustainability agenda and gives colleagues access to a wide range of BEVs that provide the latest technology and cost-effective motoring.”
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