Managing EV fleets

Many fleet managers are evaluating whether electric vehicles (EVs) are a viable option for their fleets. Or they are already electrified and wondering how to properly implement EV fleet management to get the most out of it.

Between the cost of fuel and government pressure to become greener, many fleet businesses are looking to EVs and EV fleet management to help lower operational costs and carbon emissions. This article will discuss the types of EVs, how EVs work and the benefits of fleet management for electric vehicles.

Electric vehicles versus internal combustion engine vehicles

Picture of two cars, one with an electric plug and the other with exhaust gases coming from the back

There are three categories of electric vehicle:

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs)

100% electric with rechargeable batteries

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)

Two options to charge batteries: regenerative braking or plugging into an external power source

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs)

Electric and gasoline-powered, using regenerative braking to power engines

Internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles are powered entirely by petrol whereas a lithium-ion battery is used to power EV engines. Therefore, EVs do not emit excessive CO2 or contribute to air pollution in the same way that ICEs do.

Factors to consider for managing EV fleets

Picture of multiple rows with white cars and one red car

What are important things to consider when looking at EV fleet management? Fleet managers must consider the total cost of ownership (TCO), electric vehicle fleet charging infrastructure, battery costs and life, and driving range. Learn more about about how to run efficient and effective EV fleets with our free guide.

Benefits of EV fleet management

Keyboard with a key showing the words fleet management

Lower running costs than ICE vehicles: Eliminating your fleet's need for fossil fuels means no need to expense gasoline. On average, an electric vehicle will accrue less than half of the travel costs of an ICE vehicle across the same distance.
Simpler and cheaper maintenance: EVs have fewer moving parts, which means fleet managers can save thousands a year on maintenance costs, approximately one-third of the cost to maintain ICEs.

Greater amounts of vehicle data to improve performance: Combined with an EV fleets management system, the data will help fleet managers monitor and calculate how cost-effective the addition of EVs to their fleet has been.
Massively reduced carbon footprint: With zero carbon emissions being released, you can help improve air quality.
Leading the way: EVs offer the chance to be a market leader by adapting quickly to the technological shift.