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Advice from E.ON about how to navigate the considerations for road and site fleets who are running electric vehicles
With journey predictability and defined delivery routes, Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) can really come into their own on the road. They offer a green delivery solution with zero-emission operations, plus the low running costs can help firms offset the initial investment over time. Pairing the infrastructure with other sustainable solutions such as solar panels and batteries can reduce this time – and even make you money. While BEVs offer many benefits, some models may compromise cargo space due to the size of their batteries, so it's important to ensure the vehicle's capacity fits your requirements. Delivering goods efficiently without having to compromise on your cargo load is key to maintaining productivity, so it’s important to choose your type of EV wisely.
Meanwhile, fleets operating primarily within industrial estates, or large warehouse complexes, could reap the benefits of emission free BEVs on their premises. With on-site operations, you can install dedicated charging stations wherever you need them and rotate vehicles in and out of service whenever charging is required. If your vehicle leaves the private site and is used on public roads, the usual considerations about availability of charging infrastructure, driving range and the type of journeys your vehicles will typically make would need to be considered.
“With on-site operations, you can install dedicated charging stations wherever you need them and rotate vehicles in and out of service whenever charging is required”
Choosing the right EV infrastructure for your commercial business
Most EV chargers can support a mixed fleet, making the switch to commercial EVs even easier. Whether your business runs a fleet of light commercial vehicles or passenger company cars, all vehicles can be charged at the same charging stations, meaning your investment in EV is easily scalable across different office locations and at employees’ homes, should they be required.
Furthermore, EV solutions come with seamless ways of ensuring staff are charged appropriately for their mileage. Contactless payment cards will accurately monitor where and when staff charge their vehicles, meaning your employees are able to charge at home, at the office or at public charge sites – depending on your vehicle policy. With automated billing data, you can make sure employees are charged correctly for their business miles.
In terms of the best approach to this situation, identify your quick-wins and create a roadmap that leads to a completely electric fleet. Perhaps you only require a handful of rapid chargers at your site to cater for the needs of your fleet and the distances they cover. Is it more cost-effective to have cheaper, overnight chargers installed at your employees’ homes and operate a reimbursement scheme? Can your fleet survive entirely on public charging? These are the sort of foundational questions you need to ask yourself when defining what the future looks like. In some cases, it may be a mixture of all of the above. We can work with you and provide extensive consultation on defining your bespoke needs, we can also deliver the full solution for you, at your site, on the road, and at your employees’ homes.
