How One Fleet Conquered EV Range Anxiety in Cold Weather

Sufficient EV Range, Even in Winter

 

Based in Quebec City, electrical contracting firm Fize Électrique began exploring an EV transition in 2018. “Our goal was to be all electric by 2025,” Fiset said. “We reached that goal a year and a half early.” Today, Fize Électrique’s 11-vehicle fleet includes nine Ford vehicles: an F-150® Lightning® truck, a Mustang Mach-E® SUV, and seven Ford E-Transit^TM Low-Roof Cargo Vans, which Fiset considers the best match for the company’s day-to-day needs.

 

However, before purchasing EVs, Fiset and his crew worked to understand the daily use of their conventional vehicles. Collecting data such as average daily mileage and comparing it against typical EV battery ranges can go a long way toward reducing EV range anxiety. Doing so also helped Fiset determine when to purchase the company’s first EV and which EVs would be right for the job.

 

Fiset found that Fize Électrique drivers put, on average, approximately 100 kilometers (or about 63 miles) per day on their vehicles. In comparison, the 2023 Ford E-Transit Low-Roof Cargo Van has an estimated range of 126 miles (or about 203 kilometers),¹²⁷ while 2024 E-Transit Cargo Van Low-Roof models with enhanced-range battery have an estimated overall range of 159 miles (or 256 kilometers).⁵⁵⁴ “Even in the winter, our E-Transit vans have plenty of capability to meet our needs,” Fiset said. “For the work we do every day, the Ford E-Transit is a perfect mix of capability and efficiency.”

 

To charge the EVs, Fize Électrique uses a mixed strategy. “Charging is split between employee homes and the depot,” Fiset said. To that end, the company has installed six Level 2 chargers at its office, and employees who take their EVs home at the end of the workday have chargers installed at their homes. “Having a charging station for each EV is necessary for a smooth experience,” Fiset said. “The key to success with an EV is to charge it every night on a Level 2 charger.”

 

Fiset admits there’s a fueling-to-charging mindset shift, but according to him, drivers adapted quickly. “Initially, our drivers were afraid of running out of energy, but after a few weeks, they understood that the EV would be fully charged every morning,” Fiset said. And when Fiset is asked whether he experiences EV range anxiety, he has this to say: “We need to stop focusing on the mileage on the counter. In the morning, my EV is at 100%, and if I need to recharge, my Ford GPS will tell me.”

How Ford Pro^TM E-Telematics Helps Maximize EV Range

 

So how does Fiset ensure his all-electric fleet can deliver, even during the city’s chilliest months? He draws on the support of data and analytics from Ford Pro E-Telematics.¹²⁹

 

Ford Pro E-Telematics¹²⁹ is a subscription-based software product under the Ford Pro Intelligence umbrella that uses vehicles’ built-in modems to collect data like real-time range and charge status. That data is then passed through the Ford Pro cloud and delivered to fleet managers like Fiset in a convenient, easy-to-understand dashboard. “Using Ford Pro E-Telematics,¹²⁹ we’re able to track our range and efficiency at any moment,” Fiset said.

 

By keeping a pulse on his fleet’s range and charge status, Fiset can make informed decisions about when and where to charge the EVs to minimize downtime. He can also use the information to plan more effective routes, considering the distance the vehicle will have to travel before needing to recharge. Furthermore, Fiset trained his team to follow best practices to maximize EV range, such as using regenerative braking to recapture otherwise lost energy and scheduling remote preconditioning in the Ford Pro E-Telematics¹²⁹ dashboard.