EVs Archives - Page 9 of 12 - Fleet Summit
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EVs

Association of Fleet Professionals: Fleets need to undertake due diligence on driver charging facilities

 899 599 Stuart O'Brien
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Employers need to undertake due diligence on driver charging facilities as electric vehicles (EVs) start to make their way onto fleets in larger numbers, says the Association of Fleet Operators (AFP).
 
Chair Paul Hollick said that this was especially important for drivers of petrol hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) who could potentially choose not to charge them and instead continually fuel up at the pump.
 
He explained: “Our members are rapidly gaining practical experience of operating EVs and one of the things that is becoming clear is that you can’t just have a short chat with a driver about the fact that they want to adopt an EV as their company car and then hand them the keys.
 
“Fleets need to ensure that drivers have a good understanding of their charging options, have their own charging facilities that are not just a standard socket and, in the case of PHEVs, will always charge the car even when there is option to avoid doing so.
 
“It’s a case of carrying out some basic due diligence so that you are gaining the maximum operational and environmental benefit from EVs and PHEVs, while minimising some of the potential pitfalls.”
 
Hollick said that there were a range of norms emerging around the fitting of chargers at home for employees.
 
“The model that is taking shape seems to be that mostly, drivers are paying for their own charger although, in some cases with larger employers, a third party will provide installation on some kind of preferential terms.
 
“However, there is a different picture for drivers of electric vans, where most employers are paying for the charger to be installed on the basis that it is a job-need requirement that they are effectively stipulating.
 
“Around these practices, there are also some other ideas appearing. Sometimes, for example, the fitting of the charger is being added to the monthly lease rate in order to provide a high degree of affordability.”
 
Hollick added that some fleets were stipulating that EV and PHEV drivers should sign a declaration covering basic points of vehicle operation.
 
“These employers are asking their drivers to ensure that they keep their vehicle adequately charged, that they have a charger available on their drive and even, where there is only on-street parking, that some form of charger is easily available.
 
“The conditions for PHEVs are tighter. We’ve all come across a few instances in recent years where drivers have chosen these vehicles to minimise personal taxation and then used them purely as an internal combustion engined car. This makes them extremely expensive to operate and destroys any environmental advantage. Analysis shows that a poorly used PHEV is more expensive to operate than a petrol of diesel equivalent.
 
“Creating a declaration that electric power will be used as often as possible for PHEVs is a potentially effective solution to this issue and something that we have seen a number of fleets now adopt. It makes the driver aware of their responsibilities and that shows them that their employer takes these matters seriously.”
 
The AFP was formed in March, 2021, from the merging of the Association of Car Fleet Operators (ACFO) and the Institute of Car Fleet Management (ICFM). Further details can be found at www.theafp.co.uk.

New 500. Meet the electric side of the family

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By FIAT Fleet & Business

The 500 is finally ready to introduce you to the newest members of the family. The 500 has been redesigned form the ground up, delivering more space, more technology, and greater safety; making it the perfect addition to any fleet.

The 500e has a BIK of 0%, Level 2 Autonomous Driving, and a P11D starting price of £22,940. Discover all the new possibilities of the first fully electric city-car by Fiat, with the all-new trim levels: Icon, Passion and Action.

Get your business ready for electrification.
A range of up to 199 miles* which can be extended up to 285 miles* during an urban cycle when used purely for city driving. Get ready to experience a whole new way of driving, the new 500 offers a “Sherpa Mode,” which intuitively saves energy where necessary to get you to your destination without hiccups. And if the battery runs low, you can always fast charge it with several at home and out of-home charging solutions.

CONNECTIVITY

The all-new Cinerama Infotainment system on the new 500, with its bright 10.25″ display, makes it easier and clearer to operate. The ultra-fast Bluetooth pairing will connect all the smartphones to the car in less than 5 seconds from door opening.

THE NEXT LEVEL CITY CAR

Experience tomorrow’s technology today. The all-new 500 is the first city car with Level 2 Autonomous Driving thanks to which it can slow down, keep you in the lane and help you control the speed autonomously.

Click here for more information.

For more information please call: 030 3003 4008

Final specification may vary. First Customer deliveries expected early 2021

*These figures were obtained after the battery had been fully charged. The New Fiat 500 is a battery electric vehicle
requiring mains electricity for charging.
There is a new test for fuel consumption, CO2 and electric range figures. The electric range shown was achieved using
the new test procedure.
Figures shown are for comparability purposes. Only compare electric range figures with other cars tested to the same
technical procedures.
These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the starting
charge of the battery, accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load

Upcoming zero benefit-in-kind for EV vans ‘Under-Publicised’

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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The new zero per cent benefit-in-kind rate for electric vans that takes effect on 6thApril has been ‘under-publicised’ when it should be helping lead to faster, wider adoption, says the Association of Fleet Operators (AFP).

Chair Paul Hollick said that a key element of success in boosting demand for electric cars over the last year has been the low level of taxation, and that something similar needs to happen in the light commercial vehicle sector.

“We’ve seen in the EV market how the 0% tax rate has been decisive when it comes to driving company car driver interest and, as it has become more widely known, demand for electric cars has increased exponentially,” Hollick said.

“While eLCV drivers have a much reduced say over what they drive compared to company cars, there is certainly potential for a similar effect. However, our feeling across the AFP membership is that the whole subject has been underpublicised.

“We are now in a position where a choice of electric vans are coming onto the market to meet a wide range of needs and for which the whole life costs look competitive, based on initial figures. What we need now is greater awareness.

“Certainly, as a trade body, this is an area that we are looking at in detail. Several of our larger corporate members are committed to large scale adoption of eLCVs and we are monitoring their experiences with interest.”

Hollick added that crucial to the adoption of electric vans was ensuring that fleets measured their running costs on a simple whole life cost, pence per mile basis rather than looking at the capital cost.

“The arrival of both electric cars and vans has highlighted the surprising number of businesses that still acquire vehicles largely by looking at the purchase price. This disadvantages EVs, which cost more to buy but less to fuel and maintain,” said Hollick.

“We’re doing quite a lot of work in this area, especially through our new EV training course, which takes place for the first time in March, showing how to integrate these vehicles into choice lists and buying strategies alongside petrol and diesel alternatives.”

EVs attracting drivers back to company car schemes

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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Employees who have previously taken cash options are returning to company car schemes in “noticeable” numbers thanks to electric vehicles (EVs), reports Arval UK.
 
Shaun Sadlier, head of consulting at Arval UK, said this was something that was predicted when the latest zero and low benefit-in-kind rates for EVs were unveiled in 2019, but is now becoming increasingly more apparent:
 
“Many cash takers liked their company car but didn’t like paying what they perceived as high benefit-in-kind and that was why they opted-out. Now, with low benefit-in-kind in place for EVs for at least five years, many more are now returning to company car schemes.
 
“We predicted that this would start to happen some time ago, but it’s now becoming noticeable In several of the major fleets with which we work. It’s a welcome development that will feed demand for zero-emission vehicles and lead to wider, faster adoption.”
 
Sadlier added that, while benefit-in-kind was the key attractor in choosing a zero emission vehicle, there were also a range of other factors in play.
 
“If you talk to fleet managers and their drivers, there’s a lot of enthusiasm around the vehicles themselves. It’s as simple as many people really liking EVs as their day-to-day mode of transport. We are beyond the early adopter phase and heading into mass-acceptance.
 
“All it takes is a couple of EVs on a fleet to disprove the reservations some people hold about these vehicles. They can see that misgivings such as range anxiety are actually of limited importance for the vast number of journeys that are made.
 
Arval UK recently updated its own company car scheme to increase adoption of EVs and the move paid off with almost two thirds of its company car drivers making the switch so far. 
 
“All of our consultants and many of our sales team have switched to EVs. They act as ambassadors for the technology, developing personal experience to share with customers, friends and family – as more people drive EVs, consumer confidence will increase. Coupled with the growing number of different models that are available, plus the recent 2030 announcement, it’s not an exaggeration to say that we can all play our part in a zero-emission future and choosing an EV is a step in that direction.”

Lightfoot prepares to enter the EV market

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By Lightfoot

Lightfoot was born from developing and electrifying vehicles – from the McLaren P1, to Caterpillar diggers – Lightfoot understand EVs. 

As EV adoption accelerates, Lightfoot is positioning itself to be a market-leading EV technology provider to Fleets thanks to the unique approach of live in-cab feedback optimising the effectiveness of EVs coupled with a rich feed of data enabling efficient management of your EV Fleet. 

Early indicators suggest that Lightfoot could have an even greater impact in EVs than ICE vehicles, based on a number of factors such as increasing range and reducing time spent charging. As is the Lightfoot way, they are coming at this from a very different angle and the driver is, as always, at the heart of it all.

Want to know more? Watch Lightfoot’s EV Teaser video and get in touch with their Fleet Specialists today – Click here.

Do you specialise in Electric & Hybrid fleet Vehicles? We want to hear from you!

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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Each month on Fleet Management Briefing we’re shining the spotlight on a different part of the fleet market – and in January we’ll be focussing on Electric & Hybrid Vehicle solutions.

It’s all part of our ‘Recommended’ editorial feature, designed to help fleet buyers find the best products and services available today.

So, if you’re a supplier of Electric & Hybrid Vehicle solutions and would like to be included as part of this exciting new shop window, we’d love to hear from you – for more info, contact Chris Cannon on 01992 374096 / c.cannon@forumevents.co.uk.

Here’s our features list in full:

Jan – Electric & Hybrid Vehicles
Feb – Dash Cams
Mar – Driver Training
Apr – Accident & Risk Management
May – Fleet Management Software
Jun – Telematics/Tracking
Jul – Contract Hire & Leasing
Aug – LPG/Alternative Fuel & Fuel Management
Sep – EV Infrastructure
Oct – Duty of Care
Nov – Grey Fleet
Dec – Service, Maintenance & Repair

WEBINAR: This is the one you don’t want to miss! Let’s Explore Commercial Electric Vehicles

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By Webfleet Solutions

2020 has been a landmark year for electric vehicles (EVs), with pure battery powered car sales increasing over 195% from 2019* While EV is gathering pace in the personal and company car market, commercial vehicle uptake has been somewhat slower. 

Join our team of panellists Jonny Berry (Groupe Renault), Paul Kirby (Vanarama) and Neil Chamberlain (SSE) as they explore the commercial EV landscape, the factors that are driving higher rates of adoption and the new stakeholders that will reshape the ecosystem. Our team of experts will give a realistic view of the challenges the businesses face in adopting commercial EVs.

Register here for the webinar

The benefits of maximising uptime through a technology driven approach to rental

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By David Brennan (pictured), CEO of Nexus Vehicle Rental

Nexus has cemented itself at the forefront of innovation for 20 years and has successfully carved its market niche by applying technology to meet evolving industry trends and the ever-changing demands of its customers.

Nexus is transforming the vehicle rental industry in much the same way Uber disrupted taxi services – by providing on-demand access to the UK’s largest supply chain of 550,000 vehicles across 2,000 locations, including EVs, specialist and commercial vehicles, HGVs and one day, autonomous vehicles. Nexus keeps costs lean for businesses and provides an alternative to purchasing assets. 

Technology remains at the heart of Nexus, and its innovative bookings and management platform, IRIS, works to minimise errors and enable customers to self-serve, putting them in control of the entire rental process. Automation means that 90% of bookings involve no human interaction, which helps to streamline rental management and allows new bookings to be made in just 30 seconds. 

IRIS’ intuitive Management Information (MI) suite also spots trends in vehicle usage to identify efficiencies in the rental process. This provides complete transparency on all rental vehicle requirements and enables users to make informed decisions on how to reduce business costs. Earlier this year, Nexus launched IRIS V5 with a new dedicated electric vehicle (EV) rental portal for businesses. This enables customers to meet the rising demand for alternative, cleaner mobility solutions while avoiding large upfront expenditure – a first for the corporate rental market. 

By seeking a flexible rental solution, through a third party such as Nexus, businesses are always equipped to meet their changing mobility needs. Nexus is best placed to keep businesses moving with its all-encompassing technology-led mobility solution.

For more information, visit www.nexusrental.co.uk  

Almost half of Arval staff already go electric through “rewired” company car scheme

 899 599 Stuart O'Brien
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Almost half of the more than 200 Arval staff who qualify for a company car have already switched to an electric vehicle (EV) since the launch of a new scheme in May.

The rethink is aimed at speeding up fleet electrification in order to reduce emissions, to showcase best practice and to educate drivers about the increased choice of EVs and improved charging infrastructure now available, explained Arval UK HR Director, Ailsa Firth.

She said: “We’re regularly providing advice to customers who want a rapid switch to electrification for a large proportion of their fleet. Our own company car scheme has now turned that guidance into reality, to act as a real life case study from which others can learn. 

“We completely rewired our approach, taking into account factors such as cost, choice and CSR, to create a scheme that covers the vast majority of EVs currently available on the market, alongside hybrids, petrol and diesel vehicles.

“Much work has gone into the structure of these choice lists, as well as ensuring that other key factors that make up our company car scheme, such as cash allowances, whole life cost allowances and whole life methodology, are incorporated into our latest thinking.

“Especially, with the 0% benefit-in-kind taxation rate in effect for the 2020-21 tax year, we expect EV uptake among employees to continue to be very high.”

Under the new scheme, drivers can switch to an EV if their current company vehicle is more than 18 months old and Arval is also offering employees free use of more than 40 charging points at its Swindon head office.

Changes to Arval’s Ignition salary sacrifice scheme have also ensured that all employees can access EVs and low-emission vehicles at attractive monthly rates, regardless of grade or benefit package.

“For a 40% taxpayer, we can provide an electric hatchback at around half what they would expect to pay otherwise. Salary sacrifice schemes make a lot of sense at the moment and take-up has been high,” added Ailsa.

New whitepaper from Webfleet Solutions: ‘Prepare to plug in’

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To coincide with the launch of Webfleet Solutions Electric Vehicle functionality within WEBFLEET, the company have announced a new whitepaper: ‘Prepare to plug in’.

In this edition they explore what electric vehicles will mean for commercial fleets and how telematics can unlock their full value. The big question for anybody that wants to add EVs to their fleet is this: how do I ensure I get all of the positive impact while avoiding the pitfalls? This guide is here to help.

To find our more please visit this website.