Charged and ready

Want to get the best cost efficiencies from running your electric vehicle fleet? Check out the details from people who can help make it happen

By Justin Meyer, managing director, SWARCO Smart Charging

Last year signalled a step change in electric vehicle (EV) adoption with a definite surge in registrations. SMMT’s December figures captured the headlines when an impressive 42,285 battery electric vehicles were sold, accounting for 32.9% of the market. In total last year 267,203 new zero emissions electric cars were registered in the UK – a 40.1% increase on 2021.

The marked increase in BEV popularity is not restricted to private buyers. Demand is even higher amongst business users, says data from the car leasing comparison website, Leasing.com. Some 18.8% of all its leasing enquiries in 2022 were for BEVs but a staggering 35% of total business enquiries last year was for pure electric vehicles – which is 20% higher than the growing demand for BEVs seen amongst private motorists.

Interest is already growing, and more electric models will be launched this year with more affordable price points, placed alongside a welcome boost to public charging infrastructure courtesy of the Government’s £56 million LEVI Fund.

With sales for large fleets and business registrations back on the rise, businesses can do more to decarbonise our roads. Fleet managers are no doubt paying close attention to consumer EV trends and assessing the factors that will make their own transition to zero emission vehicles successful.

So what did we learn in converting 100% of our fleet to pure electric vehicles, and what advice can we give to others who now find themselves in our shoes?

Vehicle specification

Choosing the right vehicles is a challenge, whether for a new EV or a conventional vehicle. Vehicle specification will be determined by the needs of the drivers in your fleet: what type of business mileage they make, what sort of regional coverage they have and the demands of the local geography and climate. Set out clear evaluation criteria, and include cost and performance as two key pillars of this strategy.

Educate to make it easy

Your drivers will no doubt share the same anxieties as other potential EV drivers about range, adapting their driving style or taking a new approach to route planning. Create guides and establish ways of improving awareness and knowledge so that people feel empowered and confident to make the change and feel supported as they adjust to a new type of vehicle.

Consider charging from the beginning

Don’t look at vehicle specification in isolation. Consider how those vehicles are going to be charged. Think about whether they will be returning to a central hub or regional office. Will the vehicles be used across shifts by different drivers? Do charging facilities need to be established at their homes? Will they be charging en route?

If you need to install your own EV charging infrastructure, then other stakeholders will need to be involved to protect the investment you make. There is no point choosing a particular vehicle only to find you don’t have the energy supply capacity or won’t have sufficient capacity in the future as your fleet grows. Be sure to work with an EV infrastructure partner who has a full range of technology to match different charging requirements.

In conclusion, the key to successfully transitioning to an EV fleet or increasing the number of BEVs in your ranks is forward thinking, building the right partnerships and not being afraid to ask direct questions. It’s also about getting your drivers on-side from the beginning.

Radius gets fleets ready

Ben Thompson, corporate development director at Radius

Meanwhile Radius, which offers a wealth of products and services to the fleet industry is acutely aware of the situation that fleets find themselves in with the ICE ban looming. “As more and more businesses prioritise sustainability in the face of national targets to end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030, many businesses will be considering what the impact of EV charging is for them on a daily basis,” Ben Thompson, corporate development director at Radius. Thankfully, there is plenty of advice that can help ensure control over costs and enviable efficiency.

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Consider installing charging infrastructure at home

Ultimately, charging is cheaper and easier to do at home than on the road, so businesses might want to consider enabling employees to charge at home. What’s more, software can be used to reimburse drivers for the energy used.

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Charge overnight

Alongside cheaper rates at home, users should charge overnight as electricity rates are cheaper and the ability to slow charge is much better for a vehicle’s battery.

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Make the most of government grants

Another important consideration are the government grants which are still in place for businesses. The EV Infrastructure Grant and Workplace Charging Scheme are helping to reduce the cost of installing the infrastructure needed for charge points by up to 75%.

“Many businesses will be considering what the impact of EV charging is for them on a daily basis”

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Install charging infrastructure for your business

On-road charging is approximately double the price of standard electricity and up to seven times the price of charging compared with an overnight EV tariff. As such, fleet operators should consider installing EV charging infrastructure at their business site, by way of charge points, to ensure drivers always have the charge they need, at the lowest cost.

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Seek expert support

For fleets looking to achieve the most efficient operation of electric vehicles, it might be worth speaking to experts who can support with the entirety of the EV journey. At Radius Energy, businesses can enjoy an end-to-end EV charging solution with a team who are on hand to support with any queries.

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