December 12, 2024
Sara Davies
Articles
More and more businesses are transitioning their fleets from traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs). Though managing a fleet of electric vehicles is similar in many ways to managing ICE vehicles, there are some considerations you’ll need to take on board in order to successfully electrify your fleet. We’ve put together a list of ten factors you’ll want to take into account to ensure the process runs as smoothly as possible for your business.
1. Establish an EV Fleet Framework
Start by establishing your key reasons for wanting to electrify your fleet which may include meeting sustainability and environmental objectives by lowering CO2 emissions. You might also want to achieve cost savings via reduced fuel costs, alongside lower maintenance and lower benefit in kind taxation. Consult with staff so you fully understand the positive and negative impacts an EV may have on their particular work or shift patterns and how you might be able to counter the downside, perhaps through a workplace charging provision, and so on. Fully explore all of the financial business grants available which you might qualify for, which we’ve outlined further on in this article.
2. Audit Your Existing Fleet
You need to establish which vehicles you need to upgrade and when you need to upgrade them, your current fleet composition and costs and what EV options exist for the type of vehicles you need. You’ll need to know how many miles your fleet cover and for what reasons, in order to help decide which specific EVs are right for your business and whether you fully electrify your fleet or just some of your vehicles.
3. Define a Transition Period
Are there changes you’ll need to make as a business or that your staff need to make, prior to beginning the EV transition? If so, how long are these likely to take? A fleet management company such as Wessex Fleet can help you plan the changes needed when moving your fleet from ICE to electric vehicles.
4. Manage EV Maintenance Checks
Though there is less to go wrong with an electric vehicle, due to there being fewer moving parts than in the engine and gearbox of an ICE car, EVs still require regular maintenance. This keeps them running smoothly and prevents costly repairs. Additionally, proper maintenance ensures that your vehicles remain safe to operate. Neglecting maintenance can lead to reduced performance, decreased range, and safety hazards. EV drivers need to monitor their EV battery’s condition and have it inspected by a professional regularly. They should avoid running it down to empty as well as exposing it to extreme temperatures (below 32°F or above 95°F ) and should monitor charging speed to avoid overcharging or overheating the battery.
EV vehicles checks will need to include:
Suspension and steering - Inspect your vehicle’s suspension and steering components regularly and have them inspected by a professional every 12 months as suspension is put under more strain due to the increased weight of an EV.
Tyres - As with suspension, these may wear faster than they would normally on an ICE car therefore need checking regularly.
Brakes - Though these won’t wear as quickly as they would on a normal car, they will still need checking periodically.
Oil and coolants - Oil is used in the transmission of an EV and coolant chills the batteries. Both of these require topping up or changing, though this is needed far less frequently than in a combustion-engined car. Be aware that some fluids need topping up professionally.
5. Use Mechanics Familiar with EVs
Not all mechanics are trained to maintain and repair electric vehicles, although the proportion is set to rise over the coming years. You may well opt to have maintenance included within your leasing contract, as the simplest way of ensuring all of the maintenance needs for your electric fleet are met, to the correct standard.
6. Allow Charging at Work
Chargers at work will encourage staff to use their electric car and utilse the hours they’re sat at their desks to recharge the fleet EVs. You can decide, if you wish, to allow drivers to charge for free, or recoup some of the installation costs with a charging fee. Nevertheless, this should be balanced against the overall cost savings your electric fleet expects to make against previous fuel spend. The Government has a Workplace Charging Scheme whereby eligible businesses can claim up to 75% of the purchase and installation costs, up to a maximum of £350 for each socket. The scheme supports the installation of up to 40 sockets. Some businesses can get grants to install EV chargepoint and infrastructure for staff and fleet car parks.
7. Enable Charging at Home
You might choose to integrate the cost of an EV charger into the monthly lease fee, to make the switch to electric as easy as possible for staff. Or you could encourage your staff to investigate the potential funding options available to them through the government. Staff who live in flats or rented properties can apply for a grant, as well as eligible households with on-street parking and there is funding available to landlords too.
8. Manage Driver Expectations
Moving your fleet across to EVs is usually completed when existing leases come up for renewal. Make sure you allocate extra time to implementing the transition to EVs, since particular EV models can have longer lead times. Switching across at the end of a lease allows you to deal with small batches of drivers in one go and creates an initial test group for the ironing out of any issues as the EV rollout accelerates. Manage your employee expectations of the fleet electrification process by maintaining communication about the steps you’re taking and providing feedback from users who have made the change. This way, you can tweak the process moving forward as well as ensure your staff feel kept in the loop.
9. Implement Changes to the Rollout
Schedule reviews with members of staff who have switched over their vehicles from ICE to EV for feedback on the process but allow them a couple of months before doing so, giving them a chance to experience any issues. Perhaps reschedule a second review around the six month mark to allow insight into any longer term issues. Feed back any concerns and challenges into your new fleet policy and make any necessary amendments to your fleet electrification framework accordingly.
10. Reconsider Routes for Your EV Fleet
The need to counter range limitations and charging requirements will be an entirely new consideration you will need to build into your route planning to ensure service levels are not affected by your fleet electrification. You’ll want to consider charging your electric fleet prior to the commencement of journeys and how and where this will take place. Certain vehicles with longer ranges won’t require an additional charge during the route, depending on how many miles it covers, while other vehicles with shorter battery ranges may need to consider using public chargers along their routes. It is worth considering whether these can be integrated into the existing schedule of stops made by your drivers. For example, can a recharge be accommodated into a driver’s rest break or once they arrive at their final destination? With the right EV route planning software your drivers will be able to plan routes that easily access the tens of thousands of charging stations across the country.
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