4 Cars and vans are charged differently
One of the big operational differences with electric vehicles is that they can be ‘refuelled’ almost anywhere with a power supply. Our survey highlighted the importance of home charging for fleets with electric cars, backed up by access to public chargepoints.
By comparison, the majority of fleets operating vans have installed workplace chargers to support them. Only half have made these available to other drivers.
AND IN THE FUTURE... Asked about catering for future charging needs, almost two-thirds (61.7%) of respondents said they expect drivers will charge away from the workplace – such as at home, or using public networks. Although half (47.7%) reimburse drivers for home charging at the HMRC-approved advisory electric rate (AER), almost a quarter (22.7%) set their own per-mile rate, while one in six (15.9%) have an automated solution for this.
AND IN THE FUTURE... Asked about catering for future charging needs, almost two-thirds (61.7%) of respondents said they expect drivers will charge away from the workplace – such as at home, or using public networks. Although half (47.7%) reimburse drivers for home charging at the HMRC-approved advisory electric rate (AER), almost a quarter (22.7%) set their own per-mile rate, while one in six (15.9%) have an automated solution for this.
5 Fleet manager expertise is crucial
Most respondents (92.1%) said they have procured their own chargepoints, and fleet managers are often responsible for this – regardless of the business size. Charging speed is a priority when selecting workplace chargepoints, but the majority of fleets said they wanted to take advantage of vehicle downtime as an opportunity to top up.
92.1% of respondents said they have procured their own chargepoints, and fleet managers are often responsible for this.
6 Fleets are seeking specialist support
Deploying electric (and PHEV) vehicles introduces some new responsibilities for fleet operators, most of whom wouldn’t have had on-site fuel stations. Only half of respondents (50.9%) said they have enough workplace chargepoints, while 40.5% said the installation process is a challenge.
Organisations that have installed their own chargepoints are more likely to be seeking support from specialists (such as energy companies and chargepoint suppliers) than their leasing company or vehicle manufacturers.
Most fleets (82.1%) with chargepoints are paying for them up-front, instead of through a loan or lease. Financial support is still available, including a 100% first-year allowance (available until 2025) for chargepoints, Benefit-in-Kind exemptions for installing home charging equipment and grant funding for workplace units.
