A £10 MILLION funding gap is facing North Ayrshire Council as it aims to make its vehicle fleet 'net zero' - but a top official at the authority insists it's on course to meet its goal.

Almost 170 vehicles will need replaced vehicles within the next decade if the authority is to meet its target.

David Hammond, NAC's head of service for sustainability, transport and corporate property, told a meeting of the council's cabinet on Tuesday: “There are 560 vehicles and road-registered vans. About 400 or two-thirds of them have readily low carbon alternatives.

“The remaining 170 vehicles, including road gritters and bin lorries. Alternatives are not readily available or in the early stages of deployment.

“Of the 400 vehicles switched, around 10 per cent of those to alternatives  already with national grant funding.

"To support electrification of that part of the fleet, we have deployed around 30 dedicated workplace charges in buildings across the area.

“The purchase of new passenger and light commercial vehicles (LCVs) will be zero emission vehicles only, two years ahead of the 2025 target, to phase out acquisition of petrol and diesel versions of such vehicles by public bodies.

“It is estimated that the total capital funding required to replace all 397 vehicles currently suitable for low emissions alternatives is £15.85m – which includes both vehicle replacement and charging infrastructure) – based on today’s prices.

“This investment figure excludes the 169 vehicles which do not currently have a cost-effective solution; however, these units will still require to be replaced with traditional units over the next eight years.

“They have been included at a cost of £12.13m. This makes a total cost of nearly £28m compared to a £17m council budget, so there is a £10m funding gap.

"Options to address the current £10.62m gap will need to be considered in the next capital programme.”

It is anticipated that the ability of the council to decarbonise the fleet in the short to medium term will be very challenging due to affordability constraints and other delivery challenges.

However, the estimated figures may reduce, including in response to ongoing transformation projects, service reviews and a reduction in the cost of electric vehicles themselves.

Research suggests electric cars and vans should be cheaper to make than petrol or diesel vehicles by 2027, with some segments achieving price parity from 2026.

Previously allocated additional capital of £2.5m in support of decarbonising the fleet will aid the introduction of around 65 EVs and supporting charging infrastructure by the end of March 2024.

The council is to carry out further research into possible hydrogen-based solutions for its heavier fleet, and is to look at whether a hydrogen fuel pilot scheme could help inform future decisions.

They will also look at HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) as a potential short-to-medium term option for existing heavy fleet combustion vehicles, as well as future electricity generation proposals at Shewalton in Irvine and potential links with charging requirements at that depot location for EV related heavy fleet solutions.

Opportunities for external grant funding will also be investigated, while the council is also involved in the forthcoming Ayrshire electric vehicle charging infrastructure (EVCI) pathfinder project, which is anticipated to deliver over 300 new EV charging points across Ayrshire.

Council leader Marie Burns said: “It’s fantastic news about the phasing out of passenger and light commercial vehicles two years earlier than the public sector target. You should be really proud of that.”

Tony Gurney, cabinet member for economy and climate change, said: “It’s a great achievement given the challenging financial environment we are in.”