Canon UK has hit a significant milestone in its sustainability journey, completing the overhaul of its engineer fleet by swapping out diesel-powered vehicles for a mix of electric and mild hybrid models from Škoda. The move, finalized in September 2025, is part of the company’s broader commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and marks a new era for its service operations across the United Kingdom.
The transformation began in June 2025, when Canon UK, in partnership with Czech automaker Škoda, started rolling out the new vehicles. By September, the full deployment was complete, with almost three-quarters—specifically, 72%—of the fleet now consisting of fully electric Enyaq SUVs. The remaining 28% of the vehicles are Octavia estate mild hybrids, chosen for engineers without access to home charging facilities. According to Canon, this calculated mix was designed to ensure that all engineers could participate in the transition, regardless of their home infrastructure.
Canon’s decision to move away from diesel was not made lightly. The company’s engineers are constantly on the move, servicing clients up and down the country. Historically, diesel vehicles were the go-to for such demanding operational needs. But as environmental concerns and regulatory pressures have mounted, the need for a cleaner, more sustainable solution became clear. Canon expects this switch to halve its Scope 1 operational emissions—a major step forward in decarbonizing its engineering and service operations. The company says this isn’t just about ticking boxes, but about making a real, measurable difference.
“Our move to an electric and hybrid fleet marks a major milestone in our mission to reduce the environmental impact of our operations,” said Steve Cooper, country director services & support at Canon UK & Ireland. “This ambition has been met with real excitement from engineers who have embraced the shift, with the majority opting for electric vehicles. Along with remote monitoring, our upgraded fleet further reduces the environmental impact of Canon’s service operations, while continuing to deliver exceptional customer service.”
To help smooth the transition and encourage engineers to opt for electric vehicles, Canon offered free home chargers to those choosing an EV. For those who selected the mild hybrid Octavia estate vehicles—often due to a lack of home charging capability—the company implemented enhanced mileage tracking and telematics systems. These tools are designed to help reduce overall emissions and offset any residual environmental impact, ensuring that even the hybrid portion of the fleet aligns with Canon’s sustainability goals.
The move aligns with Canon’s ‘Kyosei’ corporate philosophy, which emphasizes living and working together for the common good. The company’s leadership has made clear that sustainability is not just a buzzword, but a central pillar of its business strategy. By investing in greener technologies and incentivizing employees to adopt them, Canon is aiming to set an example for other firms in the sector.
Škoda, for its part, has been eager to support Canon’s ambitions. Amy Nash, area fleet manager at Škoda UK, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration: “At Škoda, we’re continuing to expand our electric and hybrid offering and we’re excited to work with Canon on its fleet renewal to support its sustainability objectives. The Enyaq EV and Octavia Estate MHEV offer Canon’s engineers a modern and comfortable vehicle ready to meet future customer demand, while reducing its environmental impact.”
This shift to electric and hybrid vehicles is happening against a backdrop of broader changes in the fleet management sector, where cost efficiency and data-driven decision-making have become top priorities. According to FleetCheck, a fleet software specialist, there has been a marked increase in demand for more flexible and sophisticated reporting tools among fleet operators. On September 23, 2025, FleetCheck reported that its clients are now seeking reporting systems that go beyond the standard suite—what they call “standard reporting-plus.”
Callum Haymon-Collins, chief operating officer at FleetCheck, described the trend: “Historically, almost all fleets have been satisfied with the standard reporting suite included in our software but there has been a very clear development over the last year where some are looking for extra flexibility to maximise the potential of their data. There are number of factors behind this that we believe result from wider developments in the fleet sector. The biggest is simply that there is a very strong desire to minimise costs and boost fleet effectiveness at this point in time. While it would be true to say that this is always a priority for vehicle operators, it is especially strong at this moment.”
Haymon-Collins noted that clients are becoming more sophisticated in how they use their data, seeking insights tailored to their evolving priorities. “Increasingly, they are looking for ways that the information they hold can be used to provide insight into their specific and developing priorities, and are challenging us to help them achieve that goal. The conversations we are having about data are more sophisticated and more focused than ever before, and the result is that our users are demanding more from our reporting.”
To meet this demand, FleetCheck has made its software more adaptable, extending out-of-the-box capabilities and developing custom adaptations for individual users. The aim is to future-proof their products and ensure that clients can extract maximum value from their fleet data. As Haymon-Collins put it, “What we are seeing now is a more general demand for what you might call standard reporting-plus. To answer this need, we’re both extending the out-of-the-box capabilities of our mainstream products and also creating adaptations for individual users. It’s very much about future-proofing our products in terms of client needs.”
This focus on data and flexibility dovetails with Canon’s approach to its fleet renewal. By leveraging telematics and enhanced tracking, Canon is not only reducing emissions but also improving operational efficiency and customer service. The company’s strategy reflects a broader trend in the industry: the convergence of sustainability, technology, and data-driven management.
For Canon’s engineers, the changes have been more than just a swap of keys. The new fleet provides a quieter, smoother ride and the satisfaction of knowing their daily work is contributing to a larger environmental goal. For customers, the promise is clear: Canon’s service remains as reliable as ever, but with a lighter footprint on the planet.
As the fleet sector continues to evolve, the lessons from Canon’s transition and FleetCheck’s innovations are likely to resonate far beyond the UK. Companies across industries are grappling with the dual challenges of reducing costs and meeting ambitious sustainability targets. The key, as these examples show, lies in embracing new technology, empowering employees, and making data work smarter—not harder.
Canon UK’s fleet transformation, completed in partnership with Škoda and supported by cutting-edge software from firms like FleetCheck, is a vivid illustration of how businesses can blend environmental responsibility with operational excellence. As the road to net zero continues, it’s clear that the journey is just as important as the destination.
