A new case study exploring in-depth electric vehicle experiences from eight businesses is now available to download.

The new Cross River Partnership guidance looks at the benefits and challenges of going electric to support fleets making the switch to EVs

Published by the Cross River Partnership (CRP), the ‘Making the Switch: A Guide for Fleet Owners’ guidance looks at the benefits and challenges of going electric to support fleets making the switch to EVs.

The case study also addresses fleet, charging, advice and guidance, and examines what going electric could mean for a business.

CRP, a public-private partnership working to improve the air quality across different London ‘villages’, asked questions about each firm’s vehicles, motivations, challenges faced, charging infrastructure and what’s next for EVs in terms of regulation, technology and cost.

The case study finds EVs have been shown to improve customer retention rates and that staff take more pride in their vehicles when they are electric. Employees also found the reduced noise and instant acceleration made the driving experience more pleasant.

The case study also explores the challenges of EV range, especially outside London, and how this can lead to range anxiety, especially in winter. Businesses said that long wait times to acquire an EV were a challenge along with the high initial outlay cost for vehicles.

But despite this, there is a financial business case for EVs, as running costs are significantly lower than for diesel equivalents.

The document includes a next steps section to support businesses in their journey to EVs and to provide guidance for future planning, including through LinkedIn groups, memberships, webinars and publications.

The guidance is part of Clean Air Villages 4 (CAV4); a Defra-funded project which aims to deliver ambitious freight solutions for a clean air business recovery from Covid-19.

Rachael Aldridge, communications project manager at Cross River Partnership, said: “In recent news, European sales of electric cars have overtaken those of diesel models. We hope that this case study provides valuable insight for businesses about switching to an electric fleet. Eight London-based businesses illustrate that switching doesn’t have to be a daunting process, and there are many business advantages to going electric.”

To read the full case study, please click here.