Fleet manager’s confidence in the electrification of their fleets and charging costs

Published on August 8th, 2022 | by Sophie West

A recent survey by BP Pulse has revealed that there is a sense of confidence among fleets towards the switch to EVs, with 25% of fleet managers and drivers feeling ‘excited and proud’ about the prospect of an electric fleet. A further 69% of managers and 52% of drivers feel this way because of the positive impact it will have on the environment.

With this increasing confidence, is now the time to electrify your fleet?

Firstly, you will need to consider if going fully electric is right for your fleet operation. Fully electric vehicles have impressive ranges, but if you travel large distances regularly, you’ll have to check what sort of infrastructure is in place along your route. For example, local delivery companies might benefit from electric vans as they will be covering a smaller area, especially in urban areas where a lot of customers live close together.

How much does it cost to charge an electric vehicle?

The cheapest way to charge an electric vehicle is either at home or at a place of work as these will be charged at a cheaper rate per kWh. At time of writing, these can be as little as 5p/kWh on a fixed term deal, meaning the average annual mileage of around 13,000 miles would cost roughly £170 (based on 4 miles/kWh). The chances are this deal will come to an end soon, meaning this will jump to £952 based on 28p/kWh, and potentially to over £2,000 a year when the standard variable tariff jumps up again over the winter. Although this has increased, it’s still comparably cheaper than a petrol or diesel alternative.

You can save on this by using a smart charger which connects to the national grid and will only charge your vehicle at times that are cheapest, potentially saving you hundreds of pounds a year.

Public charging can vary depending on speed, location and provider. No big surprise that central London is one of the most expensive places to use a public EV charger. For a 7.4kW charger it can cost around £40 to fully charge an EV. This does drop overnight to around £28.

It can be cheaper to take out subscriptions either individually or as part of a fleet. Although there is a monthly cost to these subscriptions you will end up paying a lower price per kWh. There are downsides to the subscription model as you will have to use a charger from that company’s network to get the preferential charging rates.

What is the difference between the EV charge networks?

There are many networks available that offer speeds from 7.4Kw up to 350kW. We have listed a few of the more popular networks below. Please note, that the speed your EV charges at doesn’t necessarily mean it will be the full capability of the charger.

More providers are available, but there are just too many to list. For an almost complete list of providers, we recommend using Zap-Map. It’s a free website and app which will help you plan any journey and show you where the nearest chargers are. You can even pick a particular company network, such as BP Pulse, so only those will show – handy if you have a subscription.

Can it save you and your company money by switching to electric?

Besides the cheaper charging rates there are currently some government incentives for electric vehicles. These can vary depending on the vehicle, but our team are on hand to discuss your unique requirements and see if going electric is the right choice for you and your business. We are not tied to any manufacturer or company, so are completely impartial on the advice we offer. Simply speak to a member of our team on 01527 571 605 or email info@agilityfleet.com.