Annex 2: Vehicle categorisation

Table 2 - Vehicle categorisation for public sector fleet targets, as per Annex 3

Decarbonisation Target Vehicle Groupings

Includes

Overall public sector fleet

All vehicles

Heavy vehicle

HGV, tipper, gritter, RCV, Fire Fighting Vehicle, Tractors

Vehicles over 3.5T

HGV, gritter, tipper, RCV, Ambulance, bus coach, bus minibus, Fire Fighting Vehicle, Tractors

Table 2 shows the vehicle types that are included within each grouping in the public sector targets.

Table 3 - Zero-emission vehicle adoption in the public sector fleet

Vehicle Type (registered road vehicles)

2020  
% Zero-emission

2023  
% Zero-emission

2025  
% Zero-emission

Passenger Cars

11%

36%

50%

VAN – 3.5 Tonnes and under

4%

14%

17%

Total Fleet (All Vehicles)

5%

17%

23%

Table 3 shows that the percentage of cars decarbonised in 2025 has increased from 11% to 50%, light commercial vehicles vans (under 3.5 tonnes) have increased from 4% to 17% and the total fleet of zero emission vehicles has increased from 5% to 23%. Not all public bodies returned fleet data in each of the years, in 2023 this includes five local authorities who did not provide data.

The largest proportion of public sector fleet vehicles are operated by local authorities, followed by the blue light emergency services and health bodies. View further details on Scottish national public bodies.

Table 4 - Breakdown of Public Sector Fleet Decarbonisation progress by Organisation Type at the end of 2025

Organisation Type

Fleet Size

ZEVs

ZEV %

Colleges & Universities

548

165

30.1%

Core Scottish Government

185

49

26.5%

Executive Agencies

757

121

16.0%

Executive NDPB

700

198

28.3%

Health Bodies

4,936

1,826

37.0%

Local Authority

18,611

2,546

13.7%

Non Ministerial Offices

25

18

72.0%

Non public body - public-private partnership

12

0

0.0%

Non public body under Scottish Rail Holdings

129

6

4.7%

Scottish Road Works Commissioner

1

1

100.0%

Audit Scotland

32

10

31.3%

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

1,659

244

14.7%

Scottish Police Authority

3,437

1627

47.3%

Public Corporations

2,109

745

35.3%

Regional Transport Partnerships

56

13

23.2%

Grand Total

33,197

7,569

22.8%

Table 5 - Breakdown % of vehicle types at the end of 2025 that are zero emission

Fuel Type

Fleet Size

ZEVs

ZEV %

CAR

10,257

5,151

50.2%

VAN - 3.5t and under

13,426

2,310

16.9%

HGV

1,387

4

0.3%

Gritter

261

0

0.0%

Tipper

1,649

13

0.8%

Street Sweeper

251

10

4.0%

RCV

1,255

19

1.5%

Ambulance

609

8

1.3%

Bus Coach

293

3

1.1%

Bus Minibus

1,445

21

1.5%

Fire Fighting Vehicle

742

1

0.1%

Motorbike

85

0

0.0%

Tractor

625

4

0.6%

Miscellaneous

912

25

2.7%

Grand Total

33,197

7,569

22.8%

Table 5 shows a breakdown of the percentage of vehicles in the public sector fleet that are zero emission, 50% of cars, 17% of vans (under 3.5t), 1.5% of refuse collection vehicles, 4% of street sweepers, 1.5% of minibuses and 2.7% classed as miscellaneous vehicles (a mix of road registered plant and utility vehicles).