Co Charger, the UK’s community charging platform, has debuted a new fleet electrification support package as it publishes shocking data on the hidden costs of charging for drivers without driveways.

Fleets are losing around £17,000 per driver per year due to drivers sitting idle at public charging points

According to industry estimates, up to 70% of UK fleet van drivers don’t have access to a driveway and are forced to rely on public charging stations, which means often drivers have to spend over an hour per shift charging.

The operational costs of public charging are adding up fast. Recent data from Co Charger reveals that fleets are losing around £17,000 per driver per year due to drivers sitting idle at public charging points. Data shows the operational cost of public charging can be four to eight times the cost of charging itself, making it a serious issue for fleet managers already grappling with tight margins.

Solving the problem of charging for drivers without driveways is now a top priority for fleet managers who are exploring innovative solutions that take into account the varying circumstances of their drivers, particularly those living in urban areas without access to home charging.

This includes near-home charging platforms such as Co Charger which offer a practical and scalable way to support the full spectrum of fleet drivers.

Founded in early 2020 by CEO Joel Teague, Co Charger was launched to create the first community charging platform for electric vehicles, enabling people with EV chargers to share them with neighbours, so they can swap to an electric vehicle.

The company now has more than 6,000 users, making it the second biggest charging network of any kind, according to the business.

The platform has already proven that it can help it can make a difference in persuading private drivers to buy an electric car and it’s also used by large numbers of fleet drivers to support their charging needs.

The new LCV fleet electrification support package advances this further.

The package enables drivers of return-to-home LCVs without driveways to start each shift with a fully charged vehicle so that they do not need to stop to charge while on shift.

According to Co Charger, the solution can save upwards of £10k per manned asset per year in operational cost while also reducing charging costs and increasing operational dependability.

Interested fleets are initially offered a simple, low-cost pilot whereby Co Charger sets up a handful of drivers with hosts in their neighbourhoods, from its existing 6,000-strong network, and manage three months of operational charging. This is then progressed to a rollout plan for the entire fleet.

Joel Teague says it’s a no-brainer: “You’re not paying drivers to wait while they charge and they’re not missing out on the working day and they’re not working late to make up the difference. It also costs a heck of a lot less in most cases.”

More details on Co Charger are here.