Out of the 100 fleets questioned by MIB Data Solutions, which produces the Fleet Data and Fleet Entire industry databases, just 18 said that they were open to the idea of buying or leasing an electric car or van.

The firm says that a typical comment was: 'We have looked into it and it is just not cost-effective, while range is an issue.'

Concerns were especially apparent among fleets that operated commercial vehicles of all sizes. One said: 'Our vans coverage too many miles. Also, there are not enough charge points locally, or indeed nationally.'

Among the 18 fleets that were more enthusiastic about electric vehicles, there still remain question marks over range and costs. One said: 'We like the idea of avoiding the congestion charge and EVs would boost the green credentials of the company but we would have to be reassured about battery life and cost, as well as range.

Nick Boddington, managing director, at MIB Data Solutions, said that the results showed that there was already quite a high degree of awareness about EVs among the SMEs surveyed, but more than four out of five have already decided against EVs in the medium term.'

Boddington added that one point of interest was that almost none of respondents in the survey mentioned the low day-to-day running costs of electric vehicles, and only a handful referred to the congestion charge.

He said: 'This is something that those marketing electric vehicles might take notice of. Adding an EV to the fleet was seen by most of those in the survey as a green gesture. Few had considered the everyday cost advantages.'