Electric vehicles for fleets: A climate for change
June 22, 2020
In this special series on the evolution of Electric Vehicles (EVs), Ehren Korshus from Element Fleet answers clients’ most frequently asked questions on the topic.
What is Element’s view of Electric Vehicle adoption for fleets?
The environment really couldn’t be more positive for change. Every major OEM has committed to the production of EVs with over 20 models being released in the next 12-18 months. Dozens of new start-ups are also challenging our traditional view of cars. Charging station networks are growing at an extraordinary rate. Around the world, leading governments, manufacturers, and energy infrastructure companies are all working to support the evolution. And importantly, advances made in battery technology are helping bring costs down and improve driving range. These developments are helping passenger EVs move toward total cost of ownership parity with internal combustion engine passenger vehicles, which we estimate is 3-5 years away. So, the time is right for clients to consider a transition of at least a portion of their vehicle fleet to EV.
What is happening with government legislation to promote Electric Vehicles?
Given our scale and geographic footprint, we have gained valuable experience working with governments, OEMs and clients in different geographies around the world. Our team at Custom Fleet in Australia and New Zealand is on the forefront of the change. New Zealand’s leadership on the adoption of electric vehicles is truly pacesetting. The country set a nation-wide target for organizations to reach 30% electric vehicle adoption by 2019, and our Custom Fleet team reached that target and worked to help clients make the transition. The U.K. government wants to end the sale of new diesel and petrol (gasoline) cars by the year 2035. Several European and Asian countries have proposed legislation to ban fossil fuel burning passenger vehicles, including gasoline, liquefied natural gas and diesel over the next ten years. Further, many cities are beginning to consider outright bans on fossil fuel vehicle operation in certain, high-traffic areas.
What do clients need to think about when contemplating all of this change?
To prepare for the evolution of EVs, every fleet – no matter how big or small – should be thinking proactively about an EV transition strategy. The strategy will be unique to every client depending upon their industry, fleet size, and whether they require end-to-end electrification of their fleet, in-office or in-home charging infrastructure for drivers, or strategic consulting. Our team at Element Fleet can help map out a plan for transition.
What are some critical components of a good transition strategy for adoption of EVs for fleets?
This emerging technology can be complex, dynamic, and quickly evolving, so it’s critical to be proactive. Clients will want to consider the following in designing their transition strategy to electric vehicles:
- Costs including any kind of up-front investment for charging stations, and long-term savings due to lower maintenance costs;
- Financing of EVs – including associated infrastructure like EV service equipment;
- Software integration with a vehicle’s telematics and data gathered from SmartChargers to support consolidated reporting and advanced fleet analytics; and
- A driver training program to ensure drivers are aware of the inherent differences of operating an electric vehicle as opposed to the conventional vehicles that they are used to driving.
Where should clients start when it comes to choosing which vehicles in their fleets to electrify?
Element Fleet Management is here to help. Clients should start by thinking about what part of their fleet is the most optimal for early transition and they should start having these conversations with their Strategic Consultant. Our teams can analyze the data from your conventional vehicle fleet to help identify areas of opportunity for EV conversion.
Next
Stay tuned for upcoming editions of this series where we’ll share case studies of successful client transitions in Australia and New Zealand, and we’ll also explore vehicle types, charging infrastructure, and other considerations for the future of electric fleets.
Contact us to learn more about how we can support your fleet to prepare for the evolution of electric vehicles.
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