What goes into the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of gasoline and diesel vehicles and vans has been well-established over time. However, there are several additional areas to consider with electric cars, particularly during day-to-day operation.
A thorough grasp of the Total Cost of Ownership is one of the most critical aspects of successful fleet management. One of those components, downtime, is crucial for many fleets, particularly those with commercial vehicles. The longer the trucks remain on the road, the more work they do, and the higher their return on investment.
On a 50kw public charger, the new LEVC VN5 electric van, for example, will charge from 20% to 80% in half an hour, adding 50 miles to its range. If staff must do this once or twice a day between jobs or deliveries, they should incorporate “micro downtime” into operational planning.
To use electric vehicles, there are several things to consider in the cost of this micro downtime. You’ll be able to decide if electric is the appropriate path forward or whether petrol or diesel is still more suited for the time being if you grasp these and create a comprehensive picture of the associated expenses.
Fuelcards.com give some areas to think about:
The charges and routing fees
The location of an electric car is critical to its efficiency. They can perform exceptionally well in the appropriate setting, but you must be aware of their daily mileage and whether the distances involved are having an undue influence on production.
How much of the working day do your staff spend on charging if they are requested to do mileages outside of their range? What chargers are nearby, and how much do they cost?
The cost of living
Employees who stop more frequently and spend more time waiting for their vehicles to charge are more likely to incur additional costs.
You must have a clear guideline on what purchases are permitted while customers wait for the battery to charge at locations such as service stations, supermarkets, or garages. Is it possible for them to pay for internet access, as well as food and beverages?
Purchasing lunch is not considered an allowable cost during a typical working day. However, you’ll need to have a conversation with your employees about what constitutes a typical workday.
Data and fleet management might be beneficial
Without question, the shift to electric cars presents new challenges for fleets – as well as several possibilities, all of these can be addressed with efficient fleet management methods and precise data.
If you have recently invested in company cars, why not enquire about fuel cards to make your fleet run more smoothly? Fuelcards.com are a leading fuel card supplier in the UK and Ireland and help many business fleets. Get in touch today to see what we can do for your business.