Recent global events really have highlighted the risks to business that fluctuating fossil fuel prices pose, so there has never been a better time to start to manage those risks, and EVs may be part of the risk-management solution.
Even before the recent energy price crisis, EVs were cheaper to run than their equivalent fossil-fuelled equivalents. Lower per-mile costs, lower servicing and maintenance costs. That per-mile gap has now widened further, making EVs a compelling option for reducing business risks.
The number of public charge points is growing significantly, with now around 100,000 in the UK, including 18,000 rapid or ultra-rapid charge points. That’s a doubling over three years. The wise EV user will of course charge at home or at the workplace, often on a cheap overnight rate, and only use public charging if absolutely necessary.
Vehicle technology is moving at a pace too, with stated ranges for even modestly priced cars at 300 miles plus, and for vans, in excess of 200 miles.
EVs have a reputation for being expensive to buy. That reputation is partly due to the first models being aimed at the luxury market. Every-day ‘fleet’ spec cars remain at a slightly higher price point than their fossil-fuelled equivalents. Given the most businesses will lease cars or vans though, when one takes into account the lower running costs, that disadvantage disappears, and EVs remain the lowest cost option.
For companies that buy their vehicles, good quality, good spec used examples are now very cheap. It’s the perfect time to pick up a used EV. Three or four year old, 30,000 mile EV for under £12k anyone? There’s plenty of choice
Poor vehicle longevity is often cited by oil fans as a reason to stick with technology from the last century. It’s a lie. Whilst EVs batteries will degrade slightly at around 80-100k miles, it is slight, and that degradation does not continue, it levels off at around 90%. Ask any of the UBER drivers with EVs at 250k miles plus.
Whilst we’re on myths, no, they’re not fireballs, and no, they don’t all go to landfill. EV batteries taken from end of life or crash damaged vehicles have a high value; they are in demand for static energy storage projects where the duty cycle is very different.
The range of EVs available is growing fast. The segment has moved away from the luxury market into the mainstream. The range of electric vans available spans small car-derived vans up to Class III, 3.5 tonnes and pick-ups.
If BT Openreach, the Royal Mail, Transco, IKEA, DPD, Tesco etc can use EVs, then surely most businesses can accommodate them.
We’ve worked with a number of businesses operating fleets of up to 60 vehicles by examining the whole fleet, vehicle by vehicle, and calculating the operating cost, and carbon savings, available by transitioning their fleet over a period of years. The numbers are huge!