1. Install EV chargers at your drivers’ homes
You can install EV charging at your drivers’ homes so they can charge their vehicles overnight. To do this safely, they’ll need a designated off-road space, such as a garage or driveway. Of course, you’ll need to reimburse your drivers for charging, but this is still the most cost-effective way to do it, as domestic energy tariffs are (currently) lower than commercial ones.
2. Install EV charging at your business premises
Operators can rent charging equipment from a growing range of ChargePoint companies. You’ll typically find Level 2 and Level 3 chargers that can rapidly recharge vehicles. Your drivers can drop them off at the depot and pick them up fully charged the next day. In addition, you can set your chargers to work intelligently, charging at off-peak times when prices are at their lowest.
3. Access public chargers
It’s not ideal (and it’s expensive), but your drivers may need to access public chargers. While unsuitable for everyday charging, they can deliver essential energy when required. Currently, the charging infrastructure is patchy across the UK, but the situation is improving.
What EV infrastructure do we need?
When a van driver runs low on diesel, they can grab the corporate credit card and fill up in minutes. If they’re driving an EV, they’ll need to search for a charger and sit there until the battery is sufficiently charged. It’s far from ideal, but the Government has a plan to fix it.
There’s agreement among fleet operators that there’s an urgent need for faster-charging infrastructure. However, EV infrastructure in the UK is fragmented and is quite understandably clustered around cities. To power the EV revolution, the Government is investing almost £1bn in 6,000 high-powered chargers across the road network by 2035.
Instead of having to search out EV infrastructure, operators can have faith that their drivers will be able to find the energy they need. But 2035 is a long way away, and there’s recognition that this isn’t fast enough for business, so the Government is looking to reduce red tape and offer more support for fleet operators. It will provide a welcome boost when energy prices are rising across the board.
What challenges is the fleet industry facing?
Holman’s Director of Sustainability, Emily Graham, and Manager of EV Consulting, Chelsea Feast, agree that there are three critical challenges facing the fleet industry:
- Supply chain delays – A global shortage of EVs is slowing the transition. However, even a short delay enables our experts to help ensure that the plans you’re putting in place are future-proof.
- Selecting a transition strategy: Holman works with the customer to develop a strategy for EVs that’s right for you. It’s not simply about choosing vehicles. There are three key focus areas:
- Vehicle fit – what is the right vehicle/fleet for their business today and tomorrow?
- Charger fit (home, depot, or public)
- Driver fit – Driver management, policies, and education
- Unlocking cost/efficiencies and savings –At Holman, we take a lifecycle approach to ownership, maximising value at every stage. Whether you want to shift your entire fleet to EVs or introduce them in a phased way, we can support your strategy to deliver the highest cost and efficiency savings.
Unsure of the EV infrastructure you need? Let Holman help
We know that the EV ecosystem can be overwhelming. There is a lot of noise from sustainability companies, utility providers, manufacturers, and providers of EV charging infrastructure. With rising costs of electricity impacting the benefits (e.g. costs of charging), will this influence consumer purchasing and impact the EV market significantly? Is EV still a greener, more cost-efficient option?
So many questions. So, who can you trust to provide you with some answers? At Holman, we continue to monitor developments and data in the electrification space to anticipate future requirements and trends to support our customers. We’ve already done the research, and our experts are best placed to deliver a streamlined sustainable solution that adds value to your business.