Electrifying your fleet won ’ t happen overnight , but here ’ s how to get started .
WORDS BY BEYOND CLARITY & GEOTAB
When looking to electrify your entire fleet , or just one vehicle , there are many things to consider . It ’ s not as simple as just finding an equivalent sized vehicle . You will need to consider daily driving patterns , operating costs and required charging equipment . You need a strategy that focuses on picking the right vehicle and charging infrastructure .
New EV models are entering the market every day and just like any fleet vehicle , choosing the right one is critical . In order to determine the appropriate EV , answer these questions :
What is the maximum distance the vehicle will drive in a day ?
The first step is to understand the range requirements , which is most likely going to be determined on how far the vehicle will drive in a single day . There are some long-range battery electric vehicles ( BEV ) that can travel over 500 kilometres on a single charge . However , if the vehicle ’ s daily use is much smaller than this it may make sense to purchase a less expensive shortrange model .
What is the current operating cost for the vehicle ?
Currently , the purchase price of an electric vehicle is higher than its combustion counterpart . The way EVs come out ahead is that they have much lower fuel and maintenance costs . Refuelling with electricity is a fraction of the cost of petrol , and you can avoid maintenance costs , such as oil changes or replacing timing belts . EVs will save money over the lifetime of the vehicle .
What is the vehicle ’ s dwell time and where does it occur ?
To ensure your vehicles are fully charged when they need to be , you have to consider where they sit and how long they will be there . This will determine how many charging stations you will need , where you should place them and the overall power requirements . Every fleet ’ s dwell time and location is going to be different so it is important to use data from your own fleet when reviewing this question .
Beyond Clarity can help you determine which EVs are suited for your fleet with Geotab ’ s EV Suitability Assessment ( EVSA ).
Buying the vehicles is only the first step .
Planning infrastructure is one of the more difficult aspects of transitioning to electric . You must examine several factors when installing the necessary equipment .
Where is the optimal placement of the stations ?
Understanding the driving patterns of your vehicles is the first step in figuring out where to install chargers . If daily driving distance is shorter it may make sense to have the vehicles charge at your depot or you could have them charge at your employee ’ s home .
How many & what type of chargers do you need ?
The number of charging stations required will vary depending on the number of EVs , their duty cycles and their individual range . If the duty cycle of your vehicles is staggered , or if you have long dwell times , you may not require a charger for every EV .
20 ISSUE 30 AUGUST 2021 / WWW . AFMA . ORG . AU