Electric cars are safer than combustion-engined equivalents and have lower accident rates, new research indicates.

Although EV repair costs were slightly higher per vehicle, the overall costs came out cheaper due to a lower rate of incidents

Analysis by Mercia Fleet Management for a major client with a high proportion of EVs found that although electric car repair costs were slightly higher per vehicle, the overall costs came out cheaper due to the lower rate of incidents.

This was attributed to the high levels of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) typically found in the latest EVs, including lane departure warning, lane assist, automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, parking assistance and blind spot monitoring.

Mercia – the fleet management division of EV salary sacrifice specialist Fleet Evolution – has used the accident damage assessment along with AI-enhanced driver profiling to slash insurance costs for the client.

Working with London-based broker Konsileo Commercial Insurance, the company has reduced premiums by up to 25% for the client’s 1,000-strong vehicle fleet.

That’s despite a rise in insurance premiums in general across the market – one well-known comparison website says that premiums have gone up by 43% over the last 12 months.

Andrew Leech, head of Mercia Fleet Management and founder of Fleet Evolution, said: “These interventions work for fleets of all sizes, and we would be happy to discuss with smaller clients how these processes and interventions can help them reduce the cost of their insurance premiums.”

Mercia is also offering fleets the chance to take part in its summer series of free educational and myth-busting EV workshops, designed to put every aspect of running EVs under the microscope.

Available throughout July, the workshops draw on the company’s experience of managing EVs for fleet customers and aim to address all the current fleet concerns involved in running EVs.

“Interest and uptake has been very good from businesses keen to switch to electric but wanting to take an in-depth reality check before making the commitment. There is still a large knowledge gap to fill in many cases and we still have places available for interested parties,” added Leech.

To book your place in the workshop sessions or to register an interest in holding one at your workplace, please click here or email: marketing@fleetevolution.com.