The efficiency of different electric vehicles is becoming a far greater priority for fleet managers as a result of the energy crisis and soaring bill costs.

Some EVs are delivering twice the efficiency of rivals, according to reports by fleets

The Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) said fleet managers were increasingly swapping information on which were delivering the best figures in real-world conditions – and the gaps between the most and least efficient EVs were so wide that some of the worst performers were being struck from choice lists.

Association chair Paul Hollick continued: “It’s reported that some widely used EVs are struggling around the two miles per kWh mark while competing cars can deliver almost twice that figure. These are significant differences that, with current electricity pricing, can have a genuine effect on running costs.

“Certainly, some manufacturers are starting to get reputations for EV efficiency while others are seen as the opposite, and choice lists are being modified accordingly.”

He added that fleets were also sometimes incentivising drivers to choose the most efficient options.

It’s a knock-on effect from the energy price rises in the last year, which have seen some en route charging costing as much as refuelling an ICE car or van.

This new attention on the best miles per kWh figures is also now seeing fleets analyse  whether it’s the driver, the vehicle or the routing that’s the problem for EVs not falling within reasonable parameters – and taking appropriate managerial action to sort it.

The AFP also said EV efficiency was to the benefit of drivers claiming business miles back on the Advisory Electricity Rate (AER) – which was increased from 8ppm to 9ppm from 1 March 2023 on the back of the rise in energy prices.

Hollick outlined: “Of course, efficient EVs also make AER repayments more realistic, with the new nine pence per mile rate much closer to the amount being paid by drivers of more efficient EVs who charge at home.”