Following are 10 major factors to consider before making the jump to introducing more EVs in to your fleet operations.<\/p>\n
1. Charging Infrastructure<\/h2>\n
One of the most important things to consider before adopting EVs for commercial use is that, in comparison to ICE (internal combustion engine) powered vehicles, the charging infrastructure<\/a> for EVs is still in its infancy.<\/p>\n There are, including so called cardkey (private) locations, close to 200,000 gas stations in the nation. Drivers, both personal and commercial, of ICE vehicles are confident that, when that needle approaches empty, they can stop right down the road, at the next intersection, or at the next freeway exit, and fuel up.<\/p>\n Conversely, there are fewer than 30,000 public charging stations for EVs<\/a>, sometimes making it problematic for drivers to charge EV batteries while on the road.<\/p>\n The solution? More than anything else, it\u2019s planning. Making certain that drivers know that they must consider round trips, rather than just one destination, along with battery range, before heading out on the road. Fleets can also install, at relatively low cost, Level II (220v) chargers both at the company locations as well as in drivers\u2019 homes.\u00a0 Yes, infrastructure can be a challenge, but with the right planning, this issue can be minimized or even eliminated.<\/p>\n It was only a few years ago that the few EVs on the market had battery ranges of 100 miles or less.\u00a0 Not a very good range, say, for a pharmaceutical rep who drives 25,000 miles per year.\u00a0 Ranges, however, have increased, but compared to ICE tank ranges approaching, and sometimes exceeding, 400 miles, range remains a challenge for many fleet applications.<\/p>\n While range remains an issue for many fleet mileage applications, there are ways fleets can train drivers to get the best range out of EVs:<\/p>\n Extremes of heat and cold can really impact EV range; using heat and AC can reduce range by as much as 30%.\u00a0 Train drivers to \u201cpre-heat\u201d or \u201cpre-cool\u201d the vehicle while it is plugged in, charging, thus using power from the grid rather than the battery. This way, heaters and AC won\u2019t be needed as much as heading out with a cold or hot vehicle.<\/p>\n \u201cOpportunity\u201d charging.\u00a0 It isn\u2019t likely that drivers will be headed somewhere where there isn\u2019t a plug. EVs come with Level I (110v) chargers; train drivers that, when they see a plug, plug the car in. This helps to pick up precious range miles while they\u2019re in with a customer or on the job.<\/p>\n Not unlike ICE engines, \u201cpunching\u201d the accelerator will use more charge, as it uses more gas in an ICE engine.\u00a0 Steady acceleration, as well as braking (most EVs have regenerative braking, which adds charge when the brakes are applied) can help extend range.<\/p>\n Like any other electrically powered machine or tool, as the battery charge gets low, performance suffers. Many EVs have what is sometimes called \u201cturtle mode\u201d where the vehicle doesn\u2019t accelerate as quickly as when the battery is charged.<\/p>\n A simple solution to this would be to not let the EV battery charge below 20% before charging up, for example. Sometimes, though, this may not be possible.\u00a0 Traffic, road closings with longer routes, and other unforeseen circumstances can force drivers to stay on the road longer than planned.<\/p>\n In such a case, refer to previous best practices; using many of the similar principles for extending range can reduce battery usage, such as opening windows rather than using the AC, and limiting heater use when it\u2019s cold. Both can help not only extend range, but reduce battery usage and keep performance closer to peak charge.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve already covered charging infrastructure, but there are other aspects of vehicle support infrastructure that should be considered. It\u2019s true that the typical ICE vehicle maintenance schedule – such as oil and other fluid changes in particular –\u00a0 are not needed with EVs. But where does the fleet take an EV when repairs unique to the electric\/battery system are needed?<\/p>\n ICE vehicles can hit the local tire retailer, or independent repair shop for repairs beyond simple preventive maintenance. For the most part, an EV must return to the dealer.\u00a0And though the larger OEMs have thousands of dealers nationwide, the network of potential repair locations for ICE vehicles is much, much larger.<\/p>\n Meeting this challenge isn\u2019t all that difficult. Beyond oil changes, the basics of preventive maintenance for EVs is the same as it is for ICE-powered vehicles. Tire rotation, wheel alignment, brake service, and replacement; all are no different.<\/p>\n And as it is likely that your ICE vehicles won\u2019t have major mechanical breakdowns, it is equally unlikely that an EV will have similar, serious issues. Yes, it will be advantageous for EV fleets as more and more non-dealer locations train their technicians to handle EVs, but this lack of infrastructure is less daunting than the charging infrastructure we\u2019ve covered.<\/p>\n Photo: Pixabay<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Another factor to consider is the price of an EV<\/a> versus and ICE vehicle. The price of an EV compared to an ICE equivalent can be anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 greater. Much of this can be overcome, if the vehicle qualifies for various federal, state, and even power company incentives and tax credits.<\/p>\n But for the most part, an EV requires a larger upfront investment.<\/p>\n Indeed, the price difference is fairly stark, however the combination of the above incentives and lower maintenance costs bring it much closer to the ICE equivalent; it is also true that electricity, on a per-mile basis, is cheaper than gasoline at even the lowest pump prices we\u2019ve experienced in the past decades.<\/p>\n Depreciation, as any fleet manager knows, is the No. 1 fixed cost of owning a vehicle; it is the difference between the original cost and the resale proceeds from its sale.<\/p>\n Even if it is assumed that the original cost is roughly a wash (after application of incentives), there simply isn\u2019t the data to know what depreciation will be for most EVs, and for those that have been around for years, resale prices haven\u2019t kept up with their ICE counterparts.<\/p>\n However, this problem should eventually take care of itself over time, as EVs become more commonly used and the data sample widens. It\u2019s just too early to know what resale values will be, as many EVs are relatively new models. In addition, infrastructure will continue to grow (particularly for charging).<\/p>\n And while the depreciation component of TCO (total cost of ownership) will probably exceed that of the equivalent ICE model, variable costs will also probably be lower, since scheduled maintenance costs will be lower.<\/p>\n While there are plenty of good reasons to consider EVs for fleet use, fleet managers often are reacting to a corporate directive to go \u201cgreen\u201d to run a \u201csustainable\u201d fleet.<\/p>\n A deep dive into whether or not EVs are as green as proponents say they are can bring pause. For example, current EV batteries are massive, and at some point will need to be disposed. Recycling of EV batteries is in its infancy (primarily because relative to the overall auto industry, so are EVs).<\/p>\n While EVs are certainly green due to a lack of emissions, they aren\u2019t so if one includes the production, charging, and disposal of both the vehicle and its components.<\/p>\n Perhaps so, but if state emissions testing for ICE vehicles is performed at the point of emission, it should be no different for EVs – zero emissions.<\/p>\n And the production of ICE vehicles isn\u2019t green if one judges, too, from the production to disposal. They have batteries (albeit much smaller) that must be disposed of, the mining of iron ore for metal components is no more green than for lithium, and vehicle wrecks sitting rusting in junk yards isn\u2019t very green either.<\/p>\n The answer, then, is that the sustainability of EVs should be judged in the same manner as that for ICE vehicles, at the point of emission. And if that\u2019s done, EVs are the clear winner.<\/p>\n Are EVs safe? Or, better put, are they as safe as ICE vehicles?\u00a0 Let\u2019s face it, cars and trucks are dangerous. More than a ton of metal, plastic, cast iron, and more, even traveling at moderate speeds, can be very dangerous to occupants and pedestrians.<\/p>\n EVs have brought a relatively new factor to the safety equation:\u00a0 huge battery packs that are not only extremely heavy (important factor in collisions), but because they pack an immense amount of power into their bulk, they can be serious fire hazards.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve all seen stories of lithium-ion batteries in cellphones and computers spontaneously combusting, even exploding, and the same is true for EV batteries. Add to that the impact of a collision, and the safety challenge is a real one.<\/p>\n First of all, not only are EVs subject to the same safety requirements overall as are ICE vehicles, but they also have specific battery safety requirements as well.<\/p>\n The OEMs that produce EVs have been innovative in developing safety protocols for their batteries. Don\u2019t forget, ICE vehicles carry gasoline, which can be every bit as dangerous in a collision as a lithium-ion battery pack in an EV. Safety should be no greater a concern for EV users than it is for any ICE vehicles they may replace.<\/p>\n And when was the last time anyone hesitated to use a cellphone, fearing it might catch fire or explode?<\/p>\n EVs are new relative to the ICE vehicles the vast majority of the population have come to know and use. There is a serious lack of knowledge and understanding of electricity, how it works, and how it impacts the vehicle a fleet driver uses.<\/p>\n That lack of understanding can lead to drivers\u2019 hesitation to accept being put behind the wheel of an EV. Fear of a lack of charging infrastructure leaving him or her stranded. Frustration with the perception of long charging times.<\/p>\n Fear of charging, fear of an EV battery catching fire while sitting in a parking lot, and that most common fear, range anxiety.\u00a0 A driver who isn\u2019t confident in the safety or the ability of the EV to help them do the job can impact productivity.<\/p>\n The answer is education. Drivers should know that, first, EVs are perfectly safe in charging mode; any problem will cause the vehicle to \u201crefuse\u201d to accept the charge, and that is highly unlikely.<\/p>\n Finally, as one OEM has done, use the term \u201crange awareness,\u201d rather than \u201canxiety.\u201d\u00a0 Make sure drivers, and their managers, understand that the company has done careful analysis of the various data and determined that the vehicle can do the job.<\/p>\n Charging times?\u00a0 The OEMs and the EV industry can do a better job of presenting charging times, to wit, a Level I charge doesn\u2019t take 18 hours, as is often believed, unless the battery is completely dead.<\/p>\n If the driver ends the day with a half charge in the battery, an overnight charge will start the next day fresh with a full charge.<\/p>\n Wherever possible, install Level II chargers on site, and even at the driver\u2019s home if possible.\u00a0 If drivers are educated before being assigned an EV, they\u2019re far more likely to accept the vehicle.<\/p>\n Can EVs be applied to any and all fleet usage? No, not at present. An EV with even a 200 mile range cannot effectively replace an ICE vehicle for, say, a pharma rep who drives 30,000 miles per year.<\/p>\n And though charging times aren\u2019t as long as many believe (18-20 hours at Level I, 6-8 hours at Level II), they do take longer than a stop to fill an ICE fuel tank. However, there are some applications for EVs in just about any fleet, but how does a fleet manager find them, and educate drivers to accept them?<\/p>\n The fleet industry is on it. One of the great technologies of the past several years is telematics, which provides fleet managers with more data, often in real time, than ever before.\u00a0 Geotab, a worldwide leader in the IoT and connected vehicles has a great feature, EVSA (Electric Vehicle Sustainability Assessment).<\/p>\n Geotab\u2019s EVSA solution \u201cidentifies which electric vehicles meet range requirements, make the most financial sense and will ultimately help make electrification as seamless as possible for fleets.\u201d<\/p>\n Based on telematics data, fleets are provided with a report which provides: lifetime cost and financial analysis, range assurance with best fit analysis and an environmental impact analysis that calculates fuel and CO2 emissions reductions. This and other such solutions make finding applications for fleets simple, firm data based decisions.<\/p>\n The electrification of the auto industry continues apace, becoming more and more acceptable both to the retail and fleet markets.<\/p>\n Yes, there are challenges, some of which will take time to overcome. But more than ever before, EVs are an exciting, new option for the right fleet, and the right application, one which will continue to grow<\/p>\n <\/p>\n by Bob Cavalli<\/p>\n Source: https:\/\/www.automotive-fleet.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n The audit is a key tool to know the overall status and provide the analysis, the assessment, the advice, the suggestions and the actions to take in order to cut costs and increase the efficiency and efficacy of the fleet. We propose the following fleet management audit.<\/p>\n Photo: Pexels It must seem, at times, like we\u2019ve gone \u201cback to the future\u201d in the auto industry. The excitement, 100 years ago, of the invention and production of the first cars and trucks changed the nation\u2019s transportation history forever, as gasoline-powered transportation replaced horses as the primary means of transport, both commercially and personally….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":9003,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18],"tags":[7],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9002"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9002"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9002\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9004,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9002\/revisions\/9004"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9003"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}2. EV Range<\/h2>\n
3. Vehicle Performance<\/h2>\n
4. Infrastructure, Part II<\/h2>\n
![\"](\"https:\/\/fleetimages.bobitstudios.com\/upload\/automotive-fleet\/content\/article\/2020-12\/electric-charge-2301604_1920-__-720x516-s.jpg\")
5. Vehicle Cost<\/h2>\n
6. Resale Value<\/h2>\n
7. Are EVs Really Green?<\/h2>\n
8. Vehicle Safety<\/h2>\n
9. Driver Acceptance of EVs<\/h2>\n
10. Fleet Application<\/h2>\n
Challenges and Solutions<\/h2>\n
CUT COTS OF THE FLEET WITH OUR AUDIT PROGRAM<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2020\/04\/nueva-ley-auditoria.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nFLEET MANAGEMENT AUDIT<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"