Our insider navigates the complex issue of roadside charging in residential areas, as well as long waits for fleet vehicle workshop visits.

I am facing a double dilemma at the moment. Let me explain.

Two of our drivers have decided they want to have electric cars as their next company cars, and I completely agree with their reasoning. At the moment, EV take-up on our fleet is probably lower than many others.

The first driver has a home with a private drive, and the car he is looking at comes with a subsidised home wall charger.

But the second driver doesn’t have off-road parking, and has to park his vehicle on the road, and he says this generally is right outside his house. He’s been doing his homework and has asked if we, the company, will pay for a channel/gulley across the pavement so he can charge it from his home energy. He says he doesn’t necessarily need a wallbox, as he can plug into a three-pin plug, which would take forever to charge most modern EVs.

But the main problem is that the car he’s looking at, as with so many on the market, has the charging flap on the driver’s side. This means he’d have to park car facing the wrong way, contrary to Highway Code Section 239, which states you cannot face against the flow of traffic.

If he parks legally, in line with the flow of traffic, then the charge flap is on the road side. I’d guess an open flap generally sticks out the same as a door mirror, and we know how many door mirrors are clipped by passing vehicles. So imagine the damage that could be caused by the flap and cable being hit. It doesn’t bear thinking about. Does our driver risk facing a fine by an overzealous traffic official for parking the wrong way, or risk potential damage to the car, or does he just use public chargers to minimise risks?

And who is responsible for the gulleys when dirt gets in them, the house owner or the local council? And what happens in winter when they fill with water and freeze? Bit of a conundrum for us fleet managers.

Booking bottlenecks and technician shortages

Booking vehicles in for regular service, warranty or repairs has been a problem for quite a while now, but the problem recently has just got worse. Trying to speak to the service receptionist is probably more difficult than talking to a doctors’ receptionist. You invariably now get put through to a call centre the other side of the country. They are dealing with multi-brands, so don’t always understand what you want, or what you are talking about. When you do eventually talk to someone they say it’s weeks before you can take the vehicle in. Then if you need a courtesy car, add on a couple more weeks.

I completely understand that there is a general lack of motor mechanics, or technicians as they are called now. You go past most dealers, and there are large signs advertising for technicians. There are far more vacancies than qualified people.

But that doesn’t make it any easier for the fleet manager, trying desperately to keep their vehicles well maintained, safe and on the road.