A significant proportion of companies electrifying their fleet have ‘over-specced’ when it comes to their charging infrastructure needs – by as much as 20%, according to VEV.

VEV warns that fleets are overspending on infrastructure by designing for every eventuality

The e-fleet solutions provider, which is backed by energy firm Vitol, said the problem was largely down to fleets embarking on electrification themselves for the first time and not realising that every EV fleet needs a bespoke design.

It’s warning that the EV switch involves multiple providers and stakeholders, and navigating the complexities requires specialist knowledge to anticipate and consider all factors, including vehicles, charging infrastructure, energy sources, energy management and operational patterns.

One incorrect assumption is that each electric vehicle requires a dedicated charger – which leads to fleets overspending on infrastructure, adds unnecessary complexity to the transition and wastage during fleet operations.

VEV also warned of a tendency for businesses to design for every eventuality, however rare. Instead, it said fleets should use the insight gained from expert analysis of telematics data to predict and plan for these outliers and make informed decisions to ensure the investment is appropriate and the operation is optimised.

Mike Nakrani, CEO of VEV, said: “Making assumptions in the complex realm of fleet electrification can be a costly mistake. Our customers ask us to take a strategic role for them, working with a variety of partners across vehicles, charging and energy, to achieve a cost-effective transition to EVs. With the correct decision-making tools in place, companies can reap the benefits of the energy transition faster and more cost-effectively.”

As fleet electrification becomes increasingly vital for carbon reduction goals and efficiency, VEV is assisting fleet owners and managers in making informed decisions that will shape the future of their operations.

It leverages comprehensive data analysis to determine the exact charging infrastructure and operational patterns necessary, considering factors such as energy sources, duty cycles, vehicle capability, time of day, driver habits, and operational requirements.

And it says such as data-driven approach streamlines the electrification transition and ensures post-implementation cost-effectiveness in EV fleet operations, avoiding over-investment and maximising business efficiency.

Mike Nakrani will be part of a panel discussion on Thursday 7 September at Cenex-LCV entitled Navigating the Path to Net Zero Fleets: From Challenges to Change. The discussion also includes experts from Ford, National Grid and Ubitricity and takes place at 9:30am.