The anticipation and excitement surrounding electric vehicles (EVs) is at an all-time high. Adding an EV to your fleet is becoming increasingly realistic, with the NSW Government announcing a number of incentives in 2021 to encourage people to buy EVs, along with helping to build charging infrastructure in urban and regional areas.
New-car sales results in March 2022 showed that consumers are taking the lead so far, with the Tesla Model 3 making the top five sellers list. So, how should a business – small or large – start the journey to electrifying its fleet?
First steps
Overcoming new tech fear
The fact is that manufacturers and governments the world over have set targets that will see the end of internal combustion engine production in the coming decades. And, with so much talk in the media about renewable energy, carbon emissions and petrol prices, switching to EVs should be seen as a good news story.
When you start looking into it, however, you often come up against negative information on battery life, limited range, and supply issues.
While these concerns may have been valid in the past, the increasingly slick infrastructure going up across Australia has for the most part eliminated the charging issues, and the supply issues should come to an end in the near future. The main hurdle now is a fear of change and new technology. We’re hoping that in time, the general perceptions of what a car looks like, how it drives and where the energy comes from will change.
Start with just one
With every new project, you need to start somewhere. Buying one EV for your business is a good first step. It doesn’t really matter about the brand, range or size because you should treat it like an experiment, where everyone in the business can provide feedback.
You need to explore the difference between a normal car (petrol/diesel-powered) and an electric car, so you can evaluate it for your needs and get your business ready for the future.
Hybrids are like training wheels
An alternate to a full EV
Buying an EV as an experiment may not be an option due to budget constraints or availability of cars, so another way to move towards a zero-emissions future is to start by buying a hybrid vehicle. They’re cheaper than pure EVs, there are more models to choose from, and they’ll introduce your drivers to electric power.
Hybrid cars have an electric motor that works alongside a petrol motor to reduce fuel consumption and lower tailpipe emissions, which can support your company’s environmental goals.
Every hybrid system’s slightly different, but they all use the electric motor to provide power at low speeds (under 40 km/h) and the petrol engine to drive the wheels at higher speeds. The battery is recharged by the petrol engine and the car uses a regenerative braking system when stopping.
Hybrids will give your employees a taste of the strong acceleration that comes from the torque of an electric motor, and confidence in the battery range and reliability. The regenerative braking system will also encourage them to adjust their driving styles after years of experience in a petrol or diesel fleet vehicle.
After the test and trial phase
Get staff on board
Converting to a fleet of electric vehicles is a marathon, not a sprint. Most organisations that have started the EV journey have realised that engaging staff early is one of the most important steps. Employees driving company cars need to be introduced slowly to a new technology that will change their approach to driving and refuelling.
Collect data on usage
Understanding how the vehicles are used is another important step. Some fleet managers have recommended using telematics to analyse trip frequencies and average journey distances. Having this data will allow you to analyse the activity of your company’s first users of electric vehicles, so you can work with them before changing your fleet policy.
Lay out your charging options
Looking at how you can charge your fleet of EVs is another step in the journey. There are a number of options including free public charging and plugging into a standard power socket overnight.
If you have a large fleet, these options may not be suitable, so you’ll need to investigate a bit further to understand the charging systems available and the capability of your locations to supply large amounts of electricity to multiple vehicles at the same time.
Pick your fleet EVs
The final step is finding the best electric vehicles for your business by evaluating them against your fleet policy using traditional fleet management models, such as Fit for Purpose and Whole of Life Cost.
It may seem strange that picking a suitable vehicle is the last step, but this is because technology is changing so fast. Once you get through all the other steps, you’ll have built the foundations for the future and can take your pick, knowing what your business needs.
The move to electric can be daunting, so at the NRMA, we aim to provide our Members with expert advice, tips and tools to make the transition that bit easier. So, keep checking back in with us for the latest EV news and updates.
