Fleet Managers: Adding EVs Is “Good for Our Brand”

Interest in adding electric vehicles (EVs) to company fleets is strong, according to a survey of 1,250 fleet managers and executives in the U.S., U.K. and Germany by PSB, a market research company. Sixty percent of U.S. companies that do not have EVs are considering adding them within the next two years.¹⁰⁶⁰

 

What’s the top reason executives and managers say they want to transition to EV fleets? Clean energy is “good for our brand.”¹⁰⁶⁰ Managers at the largest U.S. companies are likelier to say “corporate social responsibility” is an important factor than those at smaller firms (89% vs. 78%).¹⁰⁶⁰

 

In the U.S., managers of large and extra-large (XL) fleets are significantly more likely to be “very interested” in adding EVs (68%) compared to small- and medium-sized fleets, 44% and 51%, respectively.¹⁰⁶⁰ XL fleets have 500-plus vehicles; large fleets have 151­–500; medium have 26–150; small have 6–25 and micro-fleets have 2–5.¹⁰⁶⁰

 

Among U.S. companies, 37% say they already have EVs in their fleets, and large fleets are the most likely to report they have them (46%), according to the survey.¹⁰⁶⁰

 

 

More to Learn About EVs

 

Despite interest in EVs and plans to purchase them, there seems to be a knowledge gap about how they work, how they charge and their potential for increasing productivity and cutting costs. For instance, fleet managers:

 

• See EV charging infrastructure and driver training as hurdles
• Don’t seem to know how to realize the full benefits of EVs
• Worry about unlikely scenarios

 

Many fleet executives report they have not had hands-on experience with EVs. Only 29% of managers who have not adopted EVs say they have charged one; only 40% report having driven one. According to the survey, the “non-adopters” are less likely to appreciate the benefits of EVs such as easy maintenance or the ability to use EVs as a power source.¹⁰⁶⁰

 

 

Winning Over Drivers Is Key in the EV Fleet Transition

 

Some fleet managers report fears about winning over their drivers. One in five say drivers are the most prominent opponents of EVs and nearly half (49%) say they worry drivers may get stranded with a dead battery. The ability of telematics software to improve the efficiency of vehicle fleets is important, according to 81% of U.S. managers.¹⁰⁶⁰

 

Approximately two-thirds of fleet managers (64%) say they worry that telematics will fail or drivers will not like being tracked so closely (36%).¹⁰⁶⁰ When it comes to telematics, there’s no need to worry: The modems that collect data are embedded in the vehicles and integrate with Ford Pro^TM E-Telematics.¹²⁹ Fleet managers don’t have to worry about additional plug-in accessories.

 

 

Some Concerns Can Be Quelled With Information

 

While fleet managers cite concerns about the availability of electric charging stations, the reality is that the number of charging stations across the U.S. is expanding rapidly—and soon will get a big boost from the federal government. The federal government said it would invest nearly $5 billion¹⁰⁶⁴ over the next five years to help states create a network of EV charging stations across the nation.

 

Ford also offers all-electric customers simple and easy access to the BlueOval^TM Charge Network, the largest public charging network in North America offered by automotive manufacturers. The network has more than 25,000 charging stations (with more than 79,000 plugs) and more than 4,000 DC fast charging stations (with more than 9,600 plugs).¹¹¹⁴

 

However, most EVs can be recharged every night by plugging them into a home or depot charger.¹⁰⁶¹ Ford Pro Charging offers multiple electric charging station options, and we’ll also help facilitate the site planning and installation process.

 

“It starts with sitting down with our customers to learn their business and how they plan to use their electric vehicles,” said Muffi Ghadiali, general manager of Ford Pro Charging.¹¹¹⁵ “Regardless of the size of their business or the industry they are in, we’ll help them plan their charging infrastructure—whether it’s installing home chargers for employees or developing a large-scale depot system—to make the transition to electric seamless.”

 

Finally, fleet managers can remotely manage battery/cabin preconditioning, EV charging schedules and billing through Ford Pro software, so drivers don’t have to manage or pay for charging work vehicles at home.