Hands-on experience and a whole-life approach to running costs are vital for driving fleet uptake of electric vehicles, according to new research from Go Ultra Low which showed significant savings for making the switch.

Go Ultra Low

Revealed to 70 fleet decision-makers at the campaign’s ‘Preparing for your electric vehicle future’ summit yesterday, 67% of respondents in December’s Go Ultra Low Companies survey said they would consider running fully-electric vehicles if they offered lower running costs.

However, Go Ultra Low said only 35% of those surveyed take a whole-life cost view when deploying vehicles, which means they may be unaware that fuel, tax and SMR savings can offset the higher purchase price. Data from Lex Autolease showed that the Hyundai Ioniq in either electric or plug-in hybrid form would save £120 per month compared to an equivalent i40 diesel.

Those who already have EVs in use were also found to be two and a half times more likely to offer them to company car drivers, according to the survey results, showing the importance of increased awareness.

Poppy Welch, Head of Go Ultra Low, said: “Electric vehicles can return significant operational savings – just one electric car or van could save SMEs up to £1,440 annually. With an ever-increasing number of plug-in models now available, it’s even easier for businesses to identify an ultra low emission vehicle that suits their needs.”