Adam Hall, director of energy services, Drax, on how the tide is turning on electric vehicles among fleets.

Adam Hall, director of energy services, Drax

Business fleets continue to play an instrumental role in the rapid expansion of the EV sector. As awareness grows, more and more companies are choosing to get ahead of the game before the 2030 ICE vehicle ban.

During Drax’s recent Grid Unlocked webinar, which brought together a host of experts from across the fleet industry to discuss EVs, the topic on everyone’s mind was opportunity, and businesses need to act now to seize it.

More companies are now choosing to make the switch, said Lorna McAtear, fleet manager at National Grid. She revealed that the number of EVs in her fleet now exceeds the number of ICE vehicles. The reason for this, she says, is that they’re cheaper. Once she’d stacked the tax benefits, running costs, and the maintenance savings at the front end, making the business case to the board wasn’t difficult.

It’s this point, the panel put forward, that the industry and the Government really need to bring home to businesses. The truth is that, in most cases, it’s cheaper to have EVs on a company fleet than it is a petrol or a diesel vehicle. When you consider the whole-life costs, EVs are usually the most cost-effective option.

And there’s a wealth of information online that can help fleet managers determine these savings. Some tools, such as Drax’s new fleet portal My Electric Vehicles, even allow fleet managers to track these savings in real-time and are a vital tool in every fleet manager’s arsenal.

Finally, the shifting perception of range and charging times is having a huge positive impact on the uptake of electric vehicles.

The perceived ‘range anxiety’ so often cited as the key obstacle for getting an EV is a completely outdated view, according to panel chair and motoring journalist Quentin Willson. Public charging infrastructure is in a strong place. Currently, there are nearly 30,000 public charging devices spread across over 18,000 locations. By 2030, this figure is expected to rise to at least 280,000.

But we also need to remember that most charging will take place at home. This is an exciting prospect for drivers: we’ve never had the chance to refuel in our driveway or garage before. Aside from being convenient, it’s also hugely beneficial for balancing demand and supply across the National Grid. Fleet managers should encourage their drivers to charge overnight where possible, when the vehicle is idle. This takes pressure off the grid during peak times, at a time when the nation is embracing more intermittent renewable energy sources.

Paul Gadd, deputy director at Innovate UK, revealed the findings of their latest and largest research into V2G use. In a study of more than 350 Nissan Leafs, drivers were saving an average £420 per year, simply by charging and discharging their vehicles at the right times. There’s no doubt it’s an exciting technology, and while it’s currently operationally possible, it’s only going to become more integral for managing renewable energy across the UK.

We’ve reached an incredibly exciting time in our journey from fossil fuels to electric, and the UK still has some way to go. Tax incentives such as lower BiK tax and VED remain essential in facilitating a timely switch. Just look at Norway, where 75% of road vehicles are EVs, with the country on track to be 100% electric by April next year.

My advice to fleet managers would be to start planning your journey now. Start by taking any unnecessary vehicles off the road (after all, the greenest mile is the one you don’t do). Then begin electrifying the vehicles you’re left with, at a pace that’s sustainable for your business.

Rationalising your fleet is the first step, and it must be taken now. Inaction simply isn’t an option.