Switch your fleet

It's important to assess a period large enough to allow for seasonality of business. Taking peak/off peak times into account. Comparing these figures with prospective EV’s specification will identify which vehicles/routes are suitable for electrification.

• Explore Available Models. Research the different types of EVs available. Use tools like the SEAI comparison tool to compare vehicles. This tool also compares the total cost of ownership of passenger and commercial vehicles.
• Consider Vehicle Specifications. Look at the range. Take seasonal changes into account (less range in winter compared to summer). Look at charging times, and payload capacity.
• Get expert advice. Dealers have great knowledge but can be limited to the brands they sell. Lease companies have a wealth of experience and tend to be brand agnostic. Seek out consultancies for unbiased advice.
• Get experienced advice. Speak with others in your industry who have started the transition to EV. Ask for advice, what worked, what didn’t, and incorporate those learnings into your strategy.  

• Charging Needs. Where and how often a vehicle needs to charge will vary with every use case. The average time between charges on the SEAI EV commercial fleet trial was three days.  
• Charging Points. Where is the most convenient place for your vehicles to charge? There may not be one answer for your fleet, it could be a combination.
  • Home charging for employees, can be extremely cost effective. Software can allow for the payment of employees bills directly to the utility provider for business mileage. Avoiding any additional work or expense for the employee. Directors and Employees are exempt from BIK on home charger installation.
  • Depot charging. Charge point suppliers can advise and install the necessary charging infrastructure at your premises. Consider how your charging needs might expand in time as the business grows. Spaces can be made EV ready to meet your growing fleet’s needs in the future, leaving the chargers to be installed as required.
  • Public charging network is ever expanding. While necessary on occasion, it’s the least cost-effective way to charge. Partnering with charge point operators and EV fuel cards can help to mitigate these costs.
• Costs. Most businesses won't need a charge point for every vehicle. When assessing your needs also consider how to maximise charging during off-peak hours. Shop around for the most suitable electricity rates. These steps will further reduce running costs.
• Public Access Charging. Allowing suppliers, neighbours or the public to use your EV charging stations at times when they are not required by the business provides a service to the community while generating additional revenue.
• Power/Grid Requirements. Plugging many vehicles in at once can cause significant peak load requirement. If you are at risk of maxing out your grid connection, ask your charge point provider about load balancing software to schedule the charging of vehicles. Software can reduce high peak load requirements. In many cases this can remove the need for DC (fast) chargers and the need for costly grid connections. 

Site Survey. Before you add load to your electricity network, understand your baseline consumption. Get a qualified electrician's advice on what you can pull from the grid and what upgrades might be required to electrify your fleet.

• Calculate Costs and Savings. When comparing the upfront costs of EVs with traditional vehicles, factor in potential savings on fuel, maintenance, and tax incentives. Try our true cost of ownership tool.
• Incentives. Explore grants for EV’s and charging infrastructure installation. Consider the accelerated capital allowances available for purchases of EV and EV charging infrastructure. Benefit in kind relief is in place for EV drivers.
• Finance. Explore all the finance options to find the solution that's right for you.  

• Start with a Pilot Program. Begin with a small number of EVs on shorter routes initially to earn the confidence of the drivers. Work with the most willing staff first. Provide training to staff on how best to drive an EV, the vehicles features, and how to charge.
• Monitor and Evaluate. Track the performance of your new EVs and charging infrastructure. Collect data on usage, costs, and driver feedback to refine your strategy. Telematics and fleet management software are extremely beneficial here but not essential.
• Scale up. Continue to work with the most willing first. Decide which vehicles will be switched each year, reflecting the existing fleet renewal cycle. In addition to the training, employ the established EV drivers as champions to identify and work with the next batch of drivers to help them make the switch to EV.
• Report Achievements. Share your successes, carbon savings, lessons learned and driver experiences with stakeholders and the wider community to promote the benefits of electrification.

By following these steps, fleet managers can transition a fleet to EV, contributing to a more sustainable future while reaping the financial and operational benefits of an EV fleet.