GreenFleet 132 - Road to Electric Special

ROAD TO ELECTRIC

Special

Helping fleets make the switch to a zero-emission fleet Brought to you by

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05 EV Charging

06 EV Policy

08 EV Infrastructure

The government has recently expanded the workplace and home charging schemes, and pumped more money into the installation of on-street chargers for those unable to charge from home

The Association of Fleet Professional’s EV, Alternative Fuels and Low Carbon Committee shares key considerations when reviewing a company car policy for electric vehicles and some best practice suggestions

EV mapping service Zap-Map explores the key trends and issues within the UK’s electric vehicle public charging network, plus what needs to happen to make it suitable for the mass adoption of electric vehicles

11 EV Infrastructure

15 Expert Panel

Local authorities have a lot to consider when installing an EV charging infrastructure, from prioritisation of funding to the process of deciding how and where drivers will need to charge

Our expert panelists Lee Brown, Tom Callow and Colin Ferguson discuss the key considerations for fleets looking to switch to electric vehicles, and how they address any perceived barriers

THE PERFECT SOLUTION FOR THE GREEN AND THE GREY At The Grosvenor Group, our multi-award winning 0Zone solution is helping companies move seamlessly to an electric vehicle future.

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With a complete range of corporate contract hire solutions, and a specialist fleet management business, we're renowned for our work around the green agenda.

And thanks to our personal leasing and salary sacrifice solutions, we’re also there to support your drivers who are opting out of the company car scheme – helping them go green while making your grey fleet headache a lot less painful.

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How to avoid losing drivers to higher emission vehicles Grosvenor Group can help companies in their drive to lower emissions, whether they decide to change funding methods, offer cash to their drivers instead of a company car, move to a salary sacrifice scheme or adapt in other ways to changing economic and market conditions Companies seeking to drive down emissions for their ‘business travel’ are facing an uphill struggle due to the rising numbers of drivers leaving car schemes for cash alternatives.

According to Lee Brown, who heads up the Grosvenor Group’s innovative and awardwinning 0Zone solution, many businesses are seeing emissions come down on company provided cars while cash drivers often use their allowance to fund cars with higher CO2.

“According to the BVRLA’s recent company car report, we’re seeing some unprecedented trends in the vehicle fleet sector,” said Lee. “The true company car market has been reducing year on year since 2017 and the number of privately registered cars has been increasing at a faster rate than those owned by companies.

“The average age of grey fleet and cash allowance cars is older than both lease cars and those funded through a salary sacrifice scheme, and the average fleet car is 29 per cent cleaner than its cash allowance counterpart.

“This all points towards the fact that when drivers take cash in lieu of a company car, they are choosing older, higher emission vehicles that are increasing the company’s overall carbon footprint for business travel and amassing an ever-more problematic grey fleet.

“It results in a ‘seesaw’ effect, because as the emissions on the company fleet go down, the grey fleet’s go up meaning the overall carbon footprint for business travel isn’t improving.”

The Grosvenor Group is the largest privately-owned contract hire and fleet management, specialist in the UK, and is made up of four key areas – all of which are underpinned by its market leading 0Zone

solution to help companies move seamlessly towards a zero emission future.

“The Grosvenor Group comprises four very important offerings, which are corporate contract hire, fleet management, personal contract hire and salary sacrifice” explains Lee. “This means, we can support our customers in their drive to lower emissions whether they decide to change funding methods, offer cash to their drivers instead of a company car, move to a salary sacrifice scheme or adapt in other ways to changing economic and market conditions.

“With an in-house personal leasing team based at our head office alongside our corporate contract hire and fleet management teams, when drivers take the cash option they are far more likely to move seamlessly into a Grosvenor PCH car from their company car.

“As a result, the cash driver’s new personal lease car is likely to be low emission, and will be properly serviced, taxed and not need an MOT for three years. It is also managed by the same safe pair of hands that runs our customers’ company vehicles and becomes a private car that the company is proud for their employee to use for business.

Lee Brown, managing director of Interactive Fleet Management and Head of 0Zone, The Grosvenor Group

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DRIVING THE SWITCH TO CLEANER FLEETS | www.greenfleet.net

“Likewise, we can also help companies with their carbon footprint by offering a salary sacrifice scheme which is particularly beneficial thanks to the very attractive benefit in kind (BIK) rates on ultra-low emission (ULEV) and electric vehicles (EV).

“If employees opt to sacrifice a part of their gross salary and, instead, have a ULEV or EV the benefits for both the employee and employer, are particularly strong. This is therefore an excellent route for encouraging employees into greener vehicles, while saving money.”

The BVRLA report goes on to highlight the scale of the grey fleet problem for fleets.

The total number of cars used for business use is circa 12.3 million, of which 10.5 million are grey fleet and 1.8 million company cars, with 32 per cent of drivers being offered a cash allowance instead of a company car if they wish to take it.

“There is no doubt that if you provide a driver with a superb range of truly exciting PCH offers at the moment they receive their cash allowance they are more likely to choose the personal leasing route rather than spend that money elsewhere on something old, polluting and unsuitable,” said Lee. “Likewise, by offering salary sacrifice you can also avoid drivers moving into unsuitable, higher emission cars while also making savings.

“This has huge advantages for fleet managers, finance directors, HR directors and those responsibly for compliance and sustainability and it’s for this reason that demand for PCH and Salary Sacrifice is soaring.

“To put in context the seismic shift we’re seeing in the fleet market, we’ve doubled the size of our personal leasing team in the last 12 months and anticipate doubling it again in 2021 – and this is with PCH demand coming from the corporate sector, not consumer.”L FURTHER INFORMATION www.thegrosvenorgroup.co.uk

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EV CHARGING

Expanded electric vehicle charging schemes The government has recently expanded the workplace and home charging schemes, and pumped more money into the installation of on-street chargers for those unable to charge from home Funding for workplace electric vehicle charging, known as the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS), has recently opened up to small to medium enterprises and the charity sector. The changes also mean that small accommodation businesses, such as B&Bs can benefit from the funding.

What’s more, the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS), which provides up to £350 towards a chargepoint, will continue next year and be expanded to target people in rented and leasehold accommodation.

In total, £50 million will be spent on the expansion and continuation of the schemes.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “We urgently need more charging points to accelerate our transition to electric motoring, so this announcement is welcome and a step in the right direction. As we race towards the phase out of sales of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, we need to accelerate the expansion of the electric vehicle charging network. An electric vehicle revolution will need the home and workplace installations this announcement will encourage, but also a massive increase in on-street public charging and rapid charge points on our strategic road network. This will give drivers the confidence that recharging will become as easy as refuelling.”

CEO of Co Charger, Joel Teague, said: “From a Co Charger point of view, this announcement is particularly welcome

more reliable and to force operators to because it will put more chargepoints provide a 24/7 call helpline for drivers. into homes and businesses where they The DfT is proposing that operators can be shared with their neighbourhoods. should make location data, power rating Dependable, affordable charging while at and price information more accessible for home or work is essential for people to make drivers so that drivers can find the switch to electric motoring, and and access chargepoints by sharing these newly funded easily. This is essential for chargepoints communities will The ensuring costs are fair, be able to meet that need.”

Workpl ace for driving competition, Federation of Small Chargin and for increasing Businesses (FSB) national g Scheme the confidence of chair, Mike Cherry, h both existing electric said: “It’s great to up to S as opened MEs an vehicle drivers and see the Department c h d arities, those considering for Transport putting more o allowing making the switch. businesses front and r g The consultation centre as part of the and indanisations also seeks evidence UK’s mission to achieve ividuals to bene on accessibility for net-zero by 2050. fit disabled consumers. A “Small businesses want recent Zap-Map survey found to play a critical role in helping that one-third of disabled people the UK reach its green targets, and had difficulties locating a suitable charger electric vehicles are the future. That’s why this that could meet their needs, with one in is important news for the nation, particularly seven noting their very specific challenges rural areas which are often left behind.” with the weight of charging cables.

The consultation also seeks An easy-to-use charging network evidence on weatherproofing and The DfT is also launching a consultation lighting, as well as signage. on improving the charging experience.

The consultation suggests simplifying On street charging payment at chargepoints, meaning Recently the Department for Transport electric vehicle drivers can use contactless announced £20 million in funding payment but do not have to download an for councils to improve the on-street app. It also seeks to make chargepoints charging infrastructure in their local areas. This will allow residents without private parking to charge their vehicle.

This funding could double the amount already installed from the scheme, adding nearly 4,000 more charge points in its towns and cities.

Nick Harvey, senior programme manager at Energy Saving Trust, said: “The confirmation of £20 million of funding for the ORCS in 2021/22 is great news.

This funding will allow local authorities to install convenient and cost-effective electric vehicle charging infrastructure for those who rely on on-street parking. This helps to support the fair transition to the increased adoption of low carbon transport.

“We’re therefore encouraging local authorities to access this funding as part of their plans to decarbonise transport and improve local air quality.” L FURTHER INFORMATION www.gov.uk

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Road to Electric Written by the Association of Fleet Professional’s EV, Alternative Fuels and Low Carbon Committee

EV POLICY

Designing a plug-in electric vehicle company car policy The Association of Fleet Professional’s EV, Alternative Fuels and Low Carbon Committee shares key considerations when reviewing a company car policy for electric vehicles and some best practice suggestions The Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) has recently launched a Best Practice Fleet Policy Guide for EVs, which shares a number of key considerations that are needed when introducing pure electric and plug-in hybrids onto a company car fleet.

This article shares some of the key points.

Fully electric vehicles and PHEVs are different from traditionally fuelled cars in many respects. This can create some negatives where additional cost and management time may be required, however if implemented correctly the introduction of plug- in vehicles should provide both employee and employer with significant tax savings, improve the environment, and generate other cost savings such as fuel and the avoidance of penalties in emission-based charging zones.

Key considerations Plug-in vehicles should be “fit for purpose” for the driver and the fleet requirements.

This is both vehicle type and specification, as well as correct for the type of drive cycles the car will be used for, i.e. the typical daily mileage should be within the electric range of an EV to ensure there is only an occasional need to charge during the day.

For PHEVs, the majority of the daily mileage should be achieved in EV mode with the

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Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) only cheaper than a traditional ICE. As such, being used for occasional longer journeys. we would strongly recommend using In general, they are not a good vehicle Whole Life Cost (WLC) as the selection choice and can be very expensive to run, far methodology for any mixed fuel fleet policy. more than an ICE vehicle, if running on Using a Whole Life Cost (WLC) policy the petrol engine more than the is important, but we would also electric powertrain. Of course, recommend having flexibility Plug-in if used correctly they can in the company car policy. be a good stepping Where there are limited vehicles stone into pure EVs. plug-in vehicles on should p For employees the market and many r o v i d both em e running vehicles of them are high cost and em ployee with high mileages (compared with the p loyer w signific per annum, be equivalent ICE) even ith ant tax careful. Although under a WLC policy s a and im it is very much some employees may prove t vings he possible to run an EV not be able to obtain environ ment on mileages over 20K an EV in their grade. We per annum, check the therefore suggest looking daily mileages and work at allowing employees to with the employee to ensure trade up based on WLC - this will the vehicle can be run effectively. ensure the company is not exposed to It is critically important to review the higher costs and if drivers make a private company car selection process. Plug-in contribution to trade up to a plug-in vehicles are typically higher cost than vehicle it could dramatically reduce their Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles Benefit in Kind Tax and result in a much and will therefore normally attract higher more cost effective option for them. rental rates. However, if you factor in Allow cash employees back into the company NI, fuel costs, SMR etc over the company car scheme and review launching life of the vehicle they can be significantly salary sacrifice schemes for pure EVs only.

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Plug-in vehicles should be “fit for purpose” for the driver and the fleet requirements. This is both vehicle type and specification, as well as correct for the type of drive cycles the car will be used for, i.e. the typical daily mileage should be within the electric range of an EV to ensure there is only an occasional need to charge during the day Charging considerations Any employee taking a plug-in vehicle should have a dedicated charger at their home if they have the potential to fit one in.

This will allow maximum use of electric driving for a PHEV and ensure range anxiety is minimised for a pure EV. Dedicated home chargers are both safe, convenient to use, and will charge a car much faster than by a standard three pin socket (which we would not recommend). Please always refer to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations regarding using a three-pin socket.

Do not exclude employees that cannot fit a home charger at their property (live with no driveway, rented accommodation and landlord will not allow fitment etc). Providing the employee is dedicated to make it work, work with them to ensure the company is comfortable that they can charge the vehicle effectively. In these examples, issue a declaration form for the employee to sign to take responsibility for charging the vehicle effectively at their cost.

The company must decide whether they are to provide a charge point for the employee at home, or whether the employee will be expected to pay for it. Both methods are common although at the moment (and HMRC have changed this before so we recommend checking regularly with HMRC) benefit in kind tax will be chargeable for the employee if the company pays for the charge unit.

You also need to consider what happens if the employee moves home.

As further options, it is also possible to include the charge point costs within the lease costs or you could allow the company to pay for the charge point and then deduct the cost over a 6-12 month period, directly from the employee’s salary.

Fuel policy It is important to consider your fuel policy and mileage reimbursement systems when introducing plug-in vehicles. It can be quite complex to deal with multiple fuel types (i.e. for PHEVs petrol/ diesel and electricity) and also to identify the amount of electricity used if employees are recharging their vehicles at home, work and on the public charging networks, where for the latter costs can vary from free, to charged by the incident or by the amount of electricity drawn. It may be worth considering using HMRC’s AFR and AER rates for reclaiming business mileage, which provide a simple and straightforward reimbursement solution. L

The Association of Fleet Professional’s electric vehicle guides cover examples of setting out an EV policy; hints and tips for assessing the suitability of electric vehicles, example sections for the company car policy; and employee communications with regards to electric vehicles.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.theafp.co.uk

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SPONSOR’S COMMENT

From charge point support to EV insurance, the AA has electric vehicle drivers covered

Written by Gavin Franks, Business Services Director, at The AA

In the past 12 months alone, the number of electric vehicles on the road has increased by 300 per cent*, causing the number of EV callouts that we receive to rise dramatically. As a result of this, we’ve continued to invest into research and development to offer industry-leading support to drivers.

From charge point support to EV insurance, we have drivers covered, giving them the confidence that in the event they need our services, we’re here for them. As part of our EV offering, we’re proud to say that we have the largest trained group of EV patrols across Europe, with most set to be qualified to the equivalent of the IMI Level Two by the end of 2021. In addition to this, a third of our Prestige Network is EV capable and we are continuing to invest to ensure that this number increases.

As we embark on the journey to 2030 and electrification, our continued innovations, roadside capabilities and customer service keeps us ahead of the curve with supporting EV drivers. Recently, to improve our response on the roadside, we have launched our ground-breaking invention, the ‘Freewheeling Hub’ which has already transformed our breakdown services for thousands of drivers. The brand-new Freewheeling Hub enables our Patrols to safely tow EVs or 4x4s, which normally cannot be ‘lifted’ and towed on two wheels.

Working exclusively in conjunction with our Multi-Fit Wheel and new heavy-duty Multi-Fit Wheel created for larger vehicles, the revolutionary Freewheeling Hub allows Patrols to fit a temporary spare wheel onto almost any vehicle. It has its own heavy-duty high-speed bearing which makes the wheel turn independently from the car.

The Freewheeling Hub is now being used by all our Patrols which will result in shorter waiting times and reduced CO2 emissions for breakdown recoveries, as our vans can now be used to tow more cars, freeing up large recovery trucks for complex breakdowns involving heavier or more damaged vehicles.

Our customers can be reassured that whatever their route to embracing EVs, we’re with them every step of the way. L * An increase of 343.7 per cent from December 2019, to December 2020. SMMT vehicle data, December 2020 https://www.smmt.co.uk/vehicle-data/car-registrations/ FURTHER INFORMATION www.theaa.com/business

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Road to Electric Written by Zap-Map

EV INFRASTRUCTURE options, with the aim of filling any gaps not commercially viable for the private sector.

A picture of the UK’s public EV charging network EV mapping service Zap-Map explores the key trends and issues within the UK’s electric vehicle public charging network, plus what needs to happen to make it suitable for the mass adoption of electric vehicles Over the past few years, the UK has enjoyed a dramatic increase in the number of electric vehicle (EV) charging points. It’s a shift that Zap-Map, the UK’s leading EV mapping service, has monitored closely – and continues to track on a daily basis. What’s more, the increase shows no sign of letting up. At the time of writing, an impressive 858 new EV charging devices had been added to the Zap-Map database over the last 30 days.

Although home charging is a crucial part of ownership for most EV drivers, charging on the public network – both en route and at destinations – is becoming increasingly important. This article explores key trends and issues within the UK’s public charging network, plus what needs to happen to make it suitable for the mass adoption of EVs. The UK public charging network There are over 40 charging networks currently in operation across the UK. Some are regional, others nationwide, and some are international players like Tesla or Ionity. Some focus on one type of charging. Others offer a combination of slow, fast and rapid charging options. As such, while many drivers charge their car at home or work, the public network provides invaluable charging support, with both high-powered en route chargers and slower destination chargers enabling longer journeys.

In terms of geographic distribution, there are over 6,800 charging devices in Greater London, almost 3,000 in the South-East and nearly 2,300 in Scotland. Regions with the fewest devices are Wales, the North-East and Northern Ireland.

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And the public network is growing. Between 2018 and 2020, the total number of public charging devices almost doubled – from around 11,000 to over 20,000. This growth is primarily being driven by private sector investment. Take Gridserve’s first ultra-rapid EV charging hub in Essex, for example, or InstaVolt’s largest EV charging hub in Banbury.

Shell is also rolling out these ultra-rapid chargers – and will soon open an EV-only forecourt with as many as 10 150kW chargers.

Increased rollout of these ultra-rapid chargers is part of a wider trend over the past 12 months. There are now 838 ultrarapid charging devices across the country, up from 476 at the end of 2019. Although not all EVs can currently use these 150kW chargers, people are using them. In 2020, 16 per cent of EV drivers used ultra-rapid chargers, up from three per cent the year before, according to a recent Zap-Map survey.

These new chargers reduce the time it takes to charge your car en route – adding roughly 100 miles of charge in around 15 minutes.

The public network is also growing thanks to investment from local authorities. In 2020, Transport for London added 300 new rapid charge points across the city. Last month, Warwickshire County Council announced installation of over 100 on-street chargers.

Growth in this area looks set to continue.

Local authorities recently received a £20 million funding boost to double the number of on-street charge points. The government’s 2020 Rapid Charging Fund is supporting provision of high-powered charging

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Usage of the public network Despite the pandemic’s impact on driving patterns in 2020, the public charging network proved popular with EV drivers: 90 per cent of them used the public charging network, according to a ZapMap survey. Thirty-nine per cent used the public network at least once a week.

And yet the way EV drivers use the public network is also changing. Although drivers still depend primarily on charging at home, on-street provision and local charging options will become increasingly important for the 40 per cent of households without access to off-street parking.

Another change is the increase in rapid chargers at places with facilities for EV drivers while they charge, such as hotels, fast-food retailers and supermarkets. Motorway service stations have previously been the most popular public charging location – and remain important for en route charging. However, the increase in rapid destination charging options is significant: for the first time, 48 per cent said they charged at supermarkets in 2020.

Market share Of the UK’s 40+ charging networks, many are small scale. Together, the five largest networks – by number of public charging devices – enjoy just over 50 per cent of market share. ubitricity, with 14.4 per cent market share, operates the most public charging devices in the UK – mostly installed in lamp-posts and bollards in urban areas. In contrast, bp pulse, with 11.7 per cent, tends to provide high-powered chargers en route. But for the most part, EV drivers can pick and choose between networks. And consumer choice encourages competition.

“The EV charging sector is growing fast and charge point operators are experiencing fierce competition,” says Dr Ben Lane, CTO and Co-founder of Zap-Map. “Drivers are quick to pick up which networks offer the best quality of service, and will actively seek out their preferred networks.”

Such competition likely accounts for a number of recent partnerships as networks seek to differentiate themselves. ENGIE is to deliver 1,000 50kW rapid chargers to Premier Inn hotels around the UK, the biggest roll-out of high-power EV chargers in the hospitality sector. Pod Point has established itself as the dominant network in the supermarket space.

Instavolt recently partnered with both KFC and McDonald’s to install rapid chargers at fast-food outlets up and down the country.

However varied or bespoke these partnerships, their success will ultimately be underpinned by one thing: quality of service. “A robust and reliable charging network has never been more important,” says Lane. “As the number of EVs continues its upward march, it’s vital that drivers are offered the simplest and smoothest experience possible.”

What issues exist within the public network?

Charging networks such as Tesla, Instavolt and Osprey have received praise from Zap-Map users

for charging networks that are modern, reliable and simple to use. The same is true of other operators. However, Zap-Map’s 2020 network satisfaction survey highlighted two key issues within the UK’s public charging network.

Charging networks that attracted the most complaints did so because of issues around reliability – poorly maintained or out-of-service chargers, for instance – and overall access experience – such as difficult apps, unusual charging methods or patchy customer service.

Payment in particular can be an issue, with device screens or network apps not functioning properly. This has led to the emergence of cross-network payment solutions such as Zap-Pay, which are much simpler to use.

The results also revealed that a third of disabled people surveyed had difficulties locating a charger that met their needs.

One in seven noted challenges with the weight of charging cables. Some experienced difficulties with the force required to attach the connector, or the lack of dropped kerbs around charge points.

A public network suitable for mass EV adoption The UK isn’t alone in witnessing the start of an EV revolution. Millions will soon appear on our roads. And a recent Zap-Map poll found that less than one per cent of EV drivers want to return to petrol or diesel. New public charging infrastructure to serve these EVs is growing rapidly. The growth of onstreet and ultra-rapid chargers is testament to this – and will provide a useful mix of

charging options en route and at destinations.

The £20 million funding boost will come as a welcome fillip for local authorities.

These are encouraging indicators that the UK is on the right track for mass EV adoption.

However, to do this well, charging networks will need to ensure charging devices are reliable and accessible. If you can’t be sure a charging point will be operational, planning a journey becomes much more complicated.

“Reliability and ease of use are key priorities for EV drivers,” says Lane. “A new generation of drivers want to arrive at a charge point and know it will be a simple, trouble-free experience. As the EV market moves from early adopters to the mass market, drivers just want to be able to charge without any fuss.”

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Another key consideration is the provision of charging options across all regions of the UK. EV drivers charging in Northern Ireland, for example, are currently poorly served. For the EV revolution to be truly successful, we can’t afford to leave anyone behind. L

Zap-Map is the UK’s leading EV mapping service. Zap-Map’s iOS, Android and desktop apps allow users to search for charge points, plan longer electric journeys, share updates and pay on participating networks.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.zap-map.com

Switching to electric vehicles in a way that makes economic and environmental sense The EV future promises not just to benefit the planet, but employers and employees too. Fully realising this means investing in quality solutions and collaborating with the right electric vehicle charge point provider.

Here are some key considerations for businesses aiming to make the transition in a way that makes sense from both an economic and environmental perspective.

Alongside the environmental benefits of zero emission EVs, business adoption offers clear financial benefits. Charging an EV is three times cheaper than filling up. EVs are also exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) taxes and the London Congestion Charge and come with a 100 per cent first year capital allowance (FYA), which means businesses can deduct the cost from their pre-tax profits in the year they acquire the vehicles.

The economic case for business investment in EV is strengthened by the government’s Workplace Charging Scheme, which offers vouchers that businesses

can put towards the cost of purchasing and installing EV charging points.

Gaining the full financial savings and environmental benefits of investing in EVs also means avoiding the need to frequently update or replace your company’s charging solution.

We’ve seen solutions on the market with lifespans of just five years, despite the fact that high-quality solutions exist that last over three times as long. Longer lifespan solutions are more cost-efficient, less disruptive and better for the environment.

Avoiding charging solutions made of non-recycled or non-recyclable materials is also key to ensuring the EV sector can fully deliver its potential environmental benefits.

We believe that the route to truly green transport is through more widespread availability of green charging infrastructure.

This should involve building long life charging points that are manufactured using recycled materials, keeping the carbon costs of producing chargers close to zero.

Ultimately, working with a trusted partner on their transition will ensure that businesses are best placed to realise the full potential of all of the environmental and economic benefits of EVs. With the right

partner, businesses can ensure their EV transition generates a source of revenue, offers convenience to employees, slashes their environmental impact and represents a cost-efficient long-term investment. L

Download our report for a more indepth exploration of how businesses can realise the environmental and economic benefits from EVs can be viewed, here: https://www.connectedkerb.com/ report-charging-into-an-ev-future FURTHER INFORMATION www.connectedkerb.com

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EV INFRASTRUCTURE

Written by Ben Allan, managing director, Field Dynamics

Delivering a public EV charging infrastructure Local authorities have a lot to consider when installing an electric vehicle charging infrastructure, from prioritisation of funding to the process of deciding how and where drivers will need to charge.

Ben Allan from Field Dynamics explains how a new tool is helping local authorities deal with the challenges of installing a successful public charging network The EV marketplace is noisy and constantly changing, with the only certainty being that mass EV adoption is on its way. For local authorities facing the complex challenges involved with delivering electric vehicle charging infrastructure, it can feel like an impossible task: no rule book and very little guidance. Over the coming months and years local authorities are going to have to balance an ever-louder clamour for more EV charging infrastructure with limited funds and squeezed resources.

Not all EV drivers are the same – so logically the provision of EV charging support by local authorities should vary also.

With Boris Johnson’s 10-point plan pledging more support for infrastructure and the revised 2030 ICE ban, the need to create a balanced and fair master plan is more important than ever. But as yet, a standardised approach to such a plan has not been developed. There is so much to take into consideration from prioritisation of funding to the process of deciding how and where drivers will need the charging

infrastructure placed. Existing data is varied, be needed. Such considerations are often complex and often conflicting and more often overlooked and as a result, uninformed and than not, it is not holistic in its approach. inadequate planning decisions can be made.

For example, a recent study undertaken Local authorities will need to create a whole and published by net-zero data consultancy, portfolio of EV strategies and policies as well Field Dynamics, in partnership with Zap as business cases and funding applications. All Map, suggests that 90 per cent of of this will be reliant on a consistent households in Great Britain and robust foundation of that rely on public charging evidence that can be relied Not for electric vehicles upon. The challenge is a l l are not within close building up the expertise drivers EV a walking distance or a to create this evidence r e t s h ame – s e charger. It highlights foundation, before the pro o logically the importance of facing the challenge understanding the of actually creating it. chargin vision of EV g suppo location of the residents rt local au who will rely on public A toolkit thoritie by charging before planning To support authorities s should residential electric in this position, Field vary vehicle charging sites.

Dynamics, has developed also The research demonstrates JumpStart: a structured and how a better residential data-led approach that builds charging service can be achieved by an evidence foundation for individual siting chargers in more focussed locations authorities. Field Dynamics works with and how surprisingly few chargers will local authorities to combine advanced E

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Switching to EV? Can your telematics partner answer ‘yes’ to these 5 questions?

Geotab can.

Can you give me recommendations for fleet electrification, from my existing fleet data?

What is the basic EV driving and charging data I need?

Can my telematics system be customised for my fleet’s specific EV needs?

Will my telematics system support all the electric vehicles I’m interested in today? And tomorrow?

Can you expand my charging infrastructure and make it smarter?

To learn more visit: www.geotab.com/uk

©2021 Geotab Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Geotab

@GEOTAB

MyGeotab

Geotab

Switching to EV? Here are the top five questions you should ask your telematics provider

Successful EV adoption requires good data and utilising available insights.

Geotab is the global leader in EV telematics, supporting fleets from one per cent to 100 per cent electric.

Firstly ask if your telematics provider can recommend a plan for fleet electrification, customised to your fleet.

It is important to develop a custom fleet electrification plan that answers the following questions: which EVs have enough range?

How much will I save over time? What is my new carbon footprint? What charging infrastructure is needed?

Geotab’s Electric Vehicle Suitability Assessment tool combines your existing fleet’s data with the world’s largest EV performance dataset to recommendations.

The second question is ask is if the telematics system can provide the basic EV driving and charging data that you need? Effective telematics systems will

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clearly show the charging status of every vehicle. With this information, you can prioritise plugging in low-charge vehicles, and improve response times by dispatching the closest charged vehicle to a customer location. The MyGeotab Map includes realtime battery state of charge to help identify which EVs in the fleet require charging.

You also need to consider if the telematics system can expand your charging infrastructure and make it smarter?

With telematics technology you can develop automated home charging reimbursement reports by combining geofence zones, charging events and costs. The EV Charge Assurance Add-In on the Geotab Marketplace makes monitoring EV charging simple by providing a comprehensive view of the charging status of all vehicles, making sure vehicles are ready for their next trip.

Geotab is partnering with charging stations and managed charging platform vendors

DRIVING THE SWITCH TO CLEANER FLEETS | www.greenfleet.net

to help improve the reliability and accuracy of their smart charging prioritisation.

Ask if your telematics system can be customised for your fleet’s specific EV needs.

With Geotab’s rules engine and advanced reporting you can create, run and deliver the information you want, the way you want, whenever you want, to who you want. Start with our ready-to-go Fuel and EV Energy Usage and EV Charging standard reports and tailor them to your exact fleet needs.

The final question to ask is if the telematics system can support all the electric vehicles you’re interested in today and tomorrow.

Unlike conventional ICE vehicles, EVs do not follow mandatory telematics data standards. Working with manufacturers, we have developed unique capabilities to access critical EV data, ensuring your EVs will have strong data support as you grow your EV fleet - Utilise the world’s largest EV dataset from Geotab today.L FURTHER INFORMATION www.geotab.com/uk

 national datasets, cloud services and local knowledge, through a series of objective analysis sessions, resulting in the authority building a planning and implementation tool set that can be used both at the point of operational hand-off and as a vital reference resource to review processes.

The tool set helps authorities and their advisors to create strong data-led policy, gain stakeholder support, secure government funding and engage with external suppliers.

JumpStart provides local authorities with evidence and data that helps them predict future take up and understand the make-up of their local area. It enables them to realise the true scale of the challenge ahead of them and models potential infrastructure sites that align with their overall goals.

A five step apporach The five-step approach goes through methodical stages to achieve the ultimate “evidence stack”.

The first step focuses on defining a Planning Horizon and how to substantiate this with solid evidence. Authorities are guided through the different public tools available to understand how different scenarios may impact the demands on their infrastructure.

The second step builds on the first by modelling the Scale of Challenge facing the local authority. This is based on the behaviours and needs of the current residents and gives the organisation a view of what EV resources they will need in preparation for the Planning Horizon.

The third step creates a set of Demand Zones: recognising that not all areas within a region require the same level of support. For example, suburban areas with high levels of off-street parking will require considerably less support than dense areas with predominantly onstreet parking. This stage is supported by

advanced data analytics that substantiate the difference between zone classifications.

By the fourth stage there will be an understanding of how many electric vehicles the local authority is aiming to support, when and where. Therefore, this step encourages local authorities to select ideal EV charging locations within the Demand Zones for the allocated services. Drawing on considerable local knowledge and interaction with multiple stakeholders, Field Dynamics implement their CatchmentModeller solution to agree the optimal sites within the different zones for the location of the EV charging services.

The final step is a combination of all the effort and analysis of the preceding stages of the approach. The result is a report and a customised portfolio of data sets, which presents the substantiated decisions and assessments that can be relied upon for future policy and strategy making. The portfolio of crucial data sets can be retained and called upon for ongoing review.

The zone methodology The proposed approach of breaking down a town or city down into an initial set of areas or zones as a key part of recognising demand zones has been explored in depth by Field Dynamics. This methodology encourages local authorities to view their towns and cities as collections of complex and distinct zones – each with their own characteristics – rather than single entities. By recognising the distinctive attributes of defined zones, justification of funding to support EV charging strategies is made clearer for both private and public sector investment decisions.

A “zone” identifies one area from another for different legal and financial approaches to charging infrastructure. The key to this form of zoning is to understand how to minimise council cost and maximise commercial investment. The proposed approach leads

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to five key zones: Commercial; Suburban; Public Need; Visitor; and Minimal Need.

Once these zones have been identified they can be published as a plan – in a similar way to a council’s Local Development Plan (LDP) so that residents, CPOs and other stakeholders can understand the strategic direction and engage from an informed position.

To illustrate the proposed approach, Warwick has been selected as a “real-life”, representative town with a wide range of residential housing, businesses and industries.

In the case of Warwick, Commercial zoning makes up five per cent of the town, Suburban zoning 16 per cent, Public Need zoning 14 per cent, Visitor zoning 20 per cent and Minimal Need zoning 45 per cent. It shows that the vast majority (61 per cent) of the town has no need for charging infrastructure investment but provides clear focus and offers a logical approach to informed investment decisions.

The review of conurbation zoning is a key step in the JumpStart programme, which Field Dynamics managing director, Ben Allan describes as a “methodical approach which prepares local authorities for the complex process ahead of them and provides them with the tools needed to develop a strategy, apply for grants and create relationships with commercial partnerships.”

He continues by adding that “the data output from this approach can be used to kickstart the EV charging infrastructure planning process and tweak the strategy over the long term.”

Local authorities already using the five step JumpStart approach have commented that all councils should have access to consultancy-led support, such as that offered through the JumpStart programme. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.field-dynamics.co.uk

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13

AN IMPORTANT MOMENT IN TIME: WHY SALARY SACRIFICE IS SO RELEVANT NOW FOR BUSINESSES OPERATING VEHICLE FLEETS Companies looking to save money, improve staff remuneration and reduce emissions have entered into a unique bubble of time.

For the next 4 years or so, the financial benefits of Salary Sacrifice are very appealing – all thanks to the Government’s hugely attractive benefit in kind (BIK) rates on ultra-low emission and electric vehicles.

If employees opt to sacrifice a part of their salary and, instead, have an ultra low emission or electric car, the numbers, for both employee and employer, are particularly strong. This could be the moment businesses have been waiting for to encourage employees into greener vehicles, while saving money.

• But how compelling are the financial benefits?

• How straightforward is it to set up a Salary Sacrifice scheme for company cars?

• And, more importantly, is Salary Sacrifice right for your business?

At Grosvenor Leasing, we are the UK’s largest privatelyowned contract hire and fleet management specialist.

Totally independent of any banks or vehicle manufacturers, our customers enjoy objective and impartial advice to help them find the fleet funding and management solutions that are best suited to their needs.

Through a 10 – 15 minute consultation, either by phone or conference call, we can quickly help you identify whether Salary Sacrifice is something worth taking a closer look at for your business.

Why not get in touch and book in some time with one of our experts?

Telephone 01536 536 536 and ask for the Salary Sacrifice Team, or visit us at www.thegrosvenorgroup.co.uk

EXPERT PANEL

Road to Electric

PANEL OF EXPERTS

THE SWITCH TO ELECTRIC Our expert panelists Lee Brown, Tom Callow and Colin Ferguson discuss the key considerations for fleets looking to switch to electric vehicles, and how they address any perceived barriers

Lee Brown head of 0Zone, The Grosvenor Group Lee Brown is head of 0Zone, the Grosvenor Group’s innovative and market leading solution to help companies navigate their way smoothly towards ultra-low emission and electric vehicles.

Lee is also managing director of Interactive Fleet Management, the Grosvenor Group’s specialist fleet management business, which means he brings a perfect balance between how fleets can drive down their emissions and the implications of policy setting.

Lee joined the Grosvenor Group in 2001, became finance director of Interactive Fleet Management in 2012 and managing director in 2020, and is well-known for his clear and inciteful advice for companies with car and light commercial vehicle fleets.

The government has cemented its plans to bring forward the phase out date for the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans to 2030, and has concluded in its consultation response that between 2030 and 2035, new cars and vans can be sold if they if they have “significant zero emission capability”, which would include some plug-in and full hybrids. But the “significant zero emission capability” will be defined through consultation later this year.

Given the uncertainty for plug-in hybrids, and knowing the government’s ultimate goal of aiming for zero emission transport,

Tom Callow, head of insight & external affairs, bp pulse Tom has worked in the electric vehicle and wider automotive sector for 12 years. He formerly chaired the UK motor industry’s principle EV group and has extensive knowledge of electric vehicles, infrastructure and associated technologies. His role at bp Chargemaster includes engaging with the media, car manufacturers, government and other stakeholders, and helping to develop strategy. He drives around 30,000 pure electric, zero-emission miles per year.

should fleets still be considering plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) or should they switch straight to battery electric vehicles?

One of the reasons the government is looking to include plug-in hybrids in the ban, albeit at a later date, is because there is no way to police that they are being used how they should be – in zero emission mode for the majority of journeys.

Lee Brown, head of 0Zone at the Grosvenor Group explains some of the concerns surrounding PHEVs: “Plug in electric hybrids have come under the spotlight due to tests that show they are delivering higher

Colin Ferguson, co-founder and CEO, The Algorithm People Colin Ferguson is co-founder and CEO of The Algorithm People, which provides a unique, data-based approach to fleet electrification. The company uses advanced algorithms to identify which of a fleet’s vehicles and routes can be switched to EVs. The Algorithm People is also the creator of My Transport Planner, the UK’s first fully pay-as-you-go route optimisation solution.

fuel costs than expected. It’s also widely recognised that drivers aren’t charging the batteries, which means they’re enjoying the BIK benefit of an ultra-low emission car but using it like a traditional ICE car.

“Companies that have added these vehicles to their policies as part of their strategy to drive down emissions aren’t therefore getting the full benefit, creating a bit of a false economy and making budgeting more difficult as the true whole life costs are influenced more by the driver than other vehicles.

“Our 0Zone team, which has never been busier developing ultra low emission car E Issue 132 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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Case Study: Yorkshire Water Fleet analysis by The Algorithm People is helping Yorkshire Water make data-based decisions on its strategy to decarbonise its fleet.

Y

orkshire Water is committed to achieve net zero carbon by 2030, which includes electrifying the 1,400 vans in its fleet.

The utility company, which has secured Go Ultra Low fleet accreditation, has made a strong start, investing in Nissan e-NV200 electric vans. It estimates that the vehicles will reduce total fleet emissions by five per cent and generate savings over their seven-year life span.

Yorkshire Water is developing a 10year plan to decarbonise its fleet, including introducing electric vehicles and piloting the use of CNG and hydrogen power. In order to identify the most appropriate next steps in its strategy, the water company turned to EV fleet analysis specialists The Algorithm People for assistance.

Using its unique EV toolkit, the company analysed journey data from a sample of 100 vans in Yorkshire Water’s fleet. Drivers take the vehicles home after their shifts, so the analysis was based on recharging the EVs overnight. The conclusions surprised everyone: Based on the real-world range of electric vans, 88 per cent of all vehicles in the sample were suitable for electrification. Furthermore, 95 per cent of all daily routes could be achieved without the need for a top-up charge.

r “88 pe all f cent o in t he es v e h i c l l e we re s a m p l e fo r suit ab cation” ifi electr

Natalie Hughes, Director of Partners and Corporate Accounts for The Algorithm People, said: “Yorkshire Water is deeply committed to sustainability, as shown by its pledge to reach net zero by 2030 and its use of renewable energy.

Our role is to provide analysis to support that vision, by providing the data that can enable our client to make clear, evidence-based decisions on the next steps.”

David Hibbs, Head of Fleet for Yorkshire Water said: “The analysis from The Algorithm People gave us exactly what we wanted – clear, evidence-based answers to the question of how much potential there is to electrify our fleet.”

The company has been working to reduce carbon emissions since 2014 and in 2019 it reported an 80% reduction in operational emissions, compared to 2005. It has made substantial investment in anaerobic digestion technologies to generate renewable energy from sewage sludge that is used to power its operational sites, as well as committing to buying only certified renewable energy. This means that its electric vehicles will deliver the best possible reduction in emissions.

“The results really gave us food for thought,” added Hibbs.

“There is further work to be done to get the complete picture from our entire fleet, but it is a fantastic start.”

Road to Electric

 choice lists, would therefore encourage companies to simply move straight to fully electric cars, because when you’re developing future proof car policies it feels like PHEVs could be quite a short-lived phenomena.

“However, if a company is keen to have PHEVs on its fleet, we wouldn’t advise them for drivers covering more than 10,000-12,000 miles per annum, nor would we recommend offering them with a fully expensed fuel card. If drivers are incentivised to use them properly by charging them, then the benefits are good.”

Before considering between EVs or PHEVs, fleets should take the time to consider the needs of their drivers and duty cycles, recommends Tom Callow, head of insight & external affairs at bp pulse. He explains: “While there are huge advantages to pure electric vehicles (BEVs) for many drivers and for many applications, they may not suit 100 per cent of fleet requirements or 100 per cent of drivers today, so other technologies may need to be deployed in the interim. One common misconception has been that BEVs do not work for higher mileage drivers, but in this respect it’s more important to look at trips than mileage.

For example, a driver regularly travelling more than 400 miles per day and 20,000 miles per year may find transitioning to certain BEVs more challenging today, whereas a driver doing 30,000 miles per year, but typically driving less than 100 miles per day may find it far easier.”

Colin Ferguson, co-founder and CEO of The Algorithm People believes that plug-in hybrids still have a key role to play this decade, particularly in terms of getting businesses and their employees more familiar with EV technology. Colin also points out that there are other ways to cut emissions without having to invest in new vehicles. He explains: “Route optimisation platforms such as My Transport Planner are proven to cut total fleet mileage by up to 20 per cent – and save fleets money.

So, we would encourage fleet managers to look at these opportunities as well as at investing in lower emission vehicles.”

Charging considerations The government’s response to the consultation on ending the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans highlighted the challenges to achieving the 2030 target.

Some of the respondents who disagreed with bringing the date forward were of the view that the public did not have sufficient confidence in the public charging network or the current technology offer.

Organisations looking to adopt electric vehicles need to give careful consideration to how the vehicles will be charged, whether in the workplace, at home, or using the public charging network. What advice would our panelists give in this area?

Firstly, Lee Brown seeks to reassure fleets: “To some degree there’s a bit of an irrational panic about charging points. If you read the headlines about what’s hindering the uptake of electric vehicles, it’s one of the things that we all seem to worry about enormously.

“The reality is we aren’t seeing loads of electric vehicles stranded on the side of the road, and with the electric vehicle fleet growing dramatically at the Grosvenor Group we are also not noticing any call outs to drivers who have run out of charge and need roadside support.

“So, we have to be pragmatic about it and look at the facts.

“The number of charging points is increasing dramatically across the UK, workplace grants exist to enable companies to fit them in their car parks, and home grants exist for drivers.

And if you have a private drive at home it’s easy to have a charger installed. In fact, the Grosvenor Group is able to incorporate the cost of installing a home charger within the lease rental of our contract hire vehicles.”

Where it is less straightforward is where you have electric vehicle drivers with no facility to install a charger at their home. On this

point, Lee believes it is still possible to use an electric vehicle: “With relatively simple planning, it really isn’t a huge problem to use the public facilities or the chargers at work to keep your vehicle topped up. And if we feel a driver is in such a remote area that it could be a problem, we would simply advise they wait until their local infrastructure improves.

“Within our 0Zone solution, we look at three key areas of moving to a zero emission fleet; these are the financial, environmental and operational considerations.

“As part of this, we look at the practicalities of drivers having electric vehicles and, at all times, we take a very sensible and transparent approach to allay drivers’ concerns and help our clients move their fleet seamlessly towards EVs. “What we don’t want is for an irrational concern about EVs and charging points to encourage a driver to commit to another petrol and diesel for three years when it’s not necessary to do so – which is why our 0Zone team is on hand to advise and support,” Lee adds.

Engaged drivers For Tom Callow, the drivers play an massive role in the ease of transitioning to electric, and it’s not just about whether you have the right infrastructure installed. He explains: “It’s important to see charging as just one part of fleet electrification. For example, a fleet with imperfect charging infrastructure and highly engaged employees may find the transition easier than a fleet with incredible charging infrastructure, but unengaged employees. Fleet electrification isn’t just about electric vehicles and charging, but also about attitudes, behaviours and education.

“In terms of the charging itself, businesses should consider the entire ecosystem, covering home, workplace and on-the-go charging, and what their role is in each segment.

“For example, some fleets are already proactively helping employees to get home E Issue 132 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

17

GREENFLEET Talks

The Switch to Electric

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with Grosvenor Leasing’s Lee Brown

GreenFleet’s Kate Armitage talks with Lee Brown of Grosvenor Leasing about PHEVs versus BEVs, charging considerations and other benefits when considering making the switch to electric

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comments Colin Ferguson. “The driver experience is more pleasant, and there are significant business in kind (BIK) tax savings for company car drivers. For fleet operators, the benefits include significantly lower maintenance costs. We work with a lot of courier and logistics companies who also see the near-silent operation of electric vans and trucks as ideal for out of hours deliveries – particularly in urban areas where conventional vehicles are not permitted to make deliveries at night.

“Furthermore, switching to EVs supports wider corporate objectives and is increasingly in line with customer expectations. Consumers and businesses are becoming more selective, in that they are are making purchasing decisions with businesses who have clear sustainability goals and net zero strategies.

“There can also be cost benefits to fleets operating in areas which have congestions charge zones or ULEZ. This can be a substantial additional levy on operators. Investing in EVs should futureproof fleets against these charges.”

Other benefits Electric vehicles offer numerous benefits in addition to their environmental credentials and savings on fuel costs.

Driver satisfaction tends to be higher, with a Zap-Map survey showing that EV drivers reported a satisfaction score of 91 out of 100, compared with only 72 for petrol or diesel vehicle owners.

Clean air zones, which are starting to become a familiar sight, allow zero emission vehicles to enter, and so electric vehicle drivers can avoid paying penalty fees.

What’s more, drivers working at night can benefit from the near silent operation of electric vehicles.

“There is a raft of benefits over and above saving fuel and cutting emissions,”

Whole life costs Because the on road costs of plug-in vehicles are higher and can be off-putting, Lee Brown believes that it is very important to recognise the benefits of moving to electric vehicles, in terms of zero emissions, benefit in kind tax savings, and lower maintenance costs. Lee explains: “It’s for this reason why whole life costs are so important when evaluating the financial savings that EVs will deliver. For example, there are still a lot of people that think a £50k Tesla 3 will cost them more over three years than a BMW 320d however, as the Whole Life Costs approach proves, this is not the case.”

Lee continues: “Implementing a Salary Sacrifice scheme to support EV adoption has even wider benefits, and if you haven’t

looked into this yet as a company it is well worth doing so. At the Grosvenor Group, we have never been busier advising customers on Salary Sacrifice for ULEVs and EVS as the benefits are so good.”

Road to Electric

 chargers installed – sometimes even funding them – not just to deliver a better experience for their drivers, but also to help balance their charging requirements, since more employees relying on charging at work could ultimately be unhelpful. Other businesses are providing their employees with seamless access between public and workplace charging, with drivers able to use the same access method at work as they do when they’re on the road, and all billed through the same account.”

Companies may also be unsure of how to reimburse drivers for the cost of charging at home. Colin Ferguson says: “There are brilliant solutions out there such as Mina Energy, which is one of our partners. Mina takes the hassle out of expenses claims for home charging.”

Colin also urges companies to use data to make sure they get their workplace charging right. He says: “For workplace charging, it is important to take a data-based approach to make sure you have the right level of infrastructure. We work very closely with EV charging experts Elmtronics to ensure companies get this important step right.”

A positive knock-on effect The reputational benefits of EVs are also worth highlighting, as are the positive knock on effects the move to zero emission transport can have. Lee comments: “Perhaps what is not talked about so much is the impact EVs can have on a company’s image and brand. At the moment many fleets are interspersed with a selection of electric vehicles - the drivers choosing them still being seen, to some degree, as early adopters of new technology.

“However, if we can move through this process quickly, with companies aiming for a completely electric vehicle fleet, this becomes a really significant statement about their commitment to the environment and a zero emission future.

“This then has a knock-on effect to the company’s culture. By having an all electric fleet means that the focus will quickly shift to other areas of the organisation that are less environmental - the question being asked as to why the car park is full of electric vehicles yet other aspects of the business are creating higher emissions. (eg building/offices, heating systems, production facilities, recycling etc). So, at the Grosvenor Group we ultimately believe that the quick adoption of electric vehicles has far wider-ranging benefits in terms of a long term ‘visible’ cultural shift as businesses move to a carbon neutral position.”

Charging incentives Tom Callow points out that companies can benefit from the the charging incentives available: “Businesses have benefited for E

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 several years now from the 100% first-year allowance (FYA) for expenditure incurred on EV charge points, which is set to run through to March 2023. The new super-deduction of a 130% first-year allowance may deliver even greater benefits to businesses, assuming their particular charge point purchases qualify.

Fleet and procurement managers should ensure they consider all of the EV charging incentives available to them and their employees, and not just these capital writedown allowances. For example, employees may be eligible for the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme grant of up to £350, considerably reducing the cost of installing a charging point at their property. Businesses are likely to face significant demands for workplace, but helping employees with off-street parking to charge at home can balance this demand and ensure that they are focusing their workplace charging provision on those who need it most, especially those who cannot charge at home.”

Overcoming concerns The government’s consultation on banning new ICE vehicles showed that there were four main barriers raised by people in opposition – the readiness of the chargepoint infrastructure market; the readiness of the vehicle manufacturing industry; inadequate battery supply; and the impact on consumers.

We asked our panelists what they have experienced as the biggest concern to adopting electric vehicles, and how they address them.

Tom Callow comments: “The concerns most frequently cited around EV adoption tend to relate to either vehicle cost of charging infrastructure (either a lack of it, or the time it takes to charge). However, in both cases, much of this concern – and in some cases fear – is driven by a lack of education. Education and better awareness of EVs and the associated infrastructure will be key to adoption. For example, while electric vehicles are not yet within the realm of all people’s budgets, they are certainly not the luxury toys as which they’re often labelled. Data from electric car owners shows they are not just driven by the wealthiest in society, and many drivers are already finding EVs cheaper to run from their first month, thanks to lower running costs.

“When it comes to charging infrastructure, there is also a great misperception about how much is already available, and how much it is being used. For example, we typically see around 2,000 or so concurrent charging sessions on our network at peak times, meaning there is plenty of headroom at any moment, and even the most used charge point on our network is only in use for circa 50 per cent of its available time, so there is plenty of capacity.”

Lee Brown shares his experience on perceived barriers to EV adoption: “Steering clear of the obvious topic, which is range anxiety, we’re finding that another big concern cited by our customers is the choice of electric vehicles available in the UK market and whether that offers them the operational benefits for their drivers

to be able to carry out their work.

“It’s very simple if you are a sales representative covering a couple of hundred miles a day with little to carry in the vehicle. In that situation there are choices available, and Tesla is proving to be incredibly popular due to its good charging range, however there isn’t a huge amount of room if you have a lot of equipment or product samples to carry.

“Where it becomes more tricky is when customers have teams of engineers or drivers who are carrying a lot of kit around with them, and whether electric vehicles offer the practicalities required for them to do their job.

“With this in mind, EVs don’t yet give the agility that petrol/diesel has to offer, which means if a company’s drivers are in their cars all day, travelling higher distances, under pressure to do a lot of calls/visits and carrying a lot of equipment its not really feasible yet to offer electric cars. On a positive note, we can see the vehicle manufacturers are making huge strides forwards and producing a much improved range of electric vehicles in the coming years, which will cause these objections to go away relatively quickly.

“Also, to overcome this, our 0Zone team breaks down a customer’s fleet into each vehicle type, its usage, location and mileage so that we can advise on the best approach moving forwards.

“We also developed an innovative ‘Ultra Low Emission Transition Scheme’. This is aimed at drivers who are uncertain whether an EV is right for them and workable within their job role, location and activities.

Under this scheme, they are given an EV on a short term lease to get accustomed to the new type of vehicle before choosing their next car. Launched last year, this scheme has been immensely popular.”

The need for support For fleet managers to confidently switch to electric vehicles, they need the right support, believes Colin Ferguson. He explains: “Increasingly we are talking to fleet and transport managers who have been set goals and targets for EV adoption - but are given no support in how to meet those objectives.

“Our Decarbonisation Road Map is specifically designed to provide the “how”. It is a unique, data-based, evidential approach to identifying which vehicles and routes are the most suitable for electrification. It eliminates the guesswork and enables fleet managers to build a clear business case for how, when and where they will adopt EVs. This analysis can be fed back to senior management teams to help them make more informed decisions on electrification.

“With the recent cuts to the Government grants for electric cars, vans and trucks, it is more important than ever to maximise the use of EVs once you have invested in them. Good route optimisation platforms can manage EVs as part of a wider fleet.

For example, My Transport Planner not only ensures that an EV doesn’t exceed its real-world range, but also enables you to sweat the asset, significantly increasing the ROI from EVs.” L

Lee Brown The general benefits of moving to electric vehicles are very well documented, in terms of zero emissions, benefit in kind (BIK) tax savings, lower maintenance costs etc, and its very important to recognise these because the on road costs of these vehicles are higher and can be off-putting. Its for this reason why whole life costs are so important when evaluating the financial savings that EVs will deliver. For example, there are still a lot of people that think a £50k Tesla 3 will cost them more over 3 years than a BMW 320d however, as the Whole Life Costs approach proves, this is not the case.

Also, by implementing a Salary Sacrifice scheme to support EV adoption has even wider benefits, and if you haven’t looked into this yet as a company it is well worth doing so. At the Grosvenor Group, we have never been busier advising customers on Salary Sacrifice for ULEVs and EVS as the benefits are so good.

Road to Electric

Final thoughts

Tom callow The concerns most frequently cited around EV adoption tend to relate to either vehicle cost of charging infrastructure (either a lack of it, or the time it takes to charge). However, in both cases, much of this concern – and in some cases fear – is driven by a lack of education. Education and better awareness of EVs and the associated infrastructure will be key to adoption.

For example, while electric vehicles are not yet within the realm of all people’s budgets, they are certainly not the luxury toys as which they’re often labelled. Data from electric car owners shows they are not just driven by the wealthiest in society, and many drivers are already finding EVs cheaper to run from their first month, thanks to lower running costs.

Colin Ferguson Increasingly we are talking to fleet and transport managers who have been set goals and targets for EV adoption - but are given no support in how to meet those objectives.

Our Decarbonisation Road Map is specifically designed to provide the “how”. It is a unique, data-based, evidential approach to identifying which vehicles and routes are the most suitable for electrification. It eliminates the guesswork and enables fleet managers to build a clear business case for how, when and where they will adopt EVs. This analysis can be fed back to senior management teams to help them make more informed decisions on electrification.

With the recent cuts to the government grants for electric cars, vans and trucks, it is more important than ever to maximise the use of EVs once you have invested in them. Good route optimisation platforms can manage EVs as part of a wider fleet.

Issue 132 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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0Zone is The Grosvenor Group’s innovative and multi-award winning solution to help companies navigate their way smoothly towards ultra-low emission (ULEV) and electric vehicles (EV).

Our team of experts will help you drive down your CO2 levels and move towards a Zero emission future through a well-structured ultra low emission and electric vehicle fleet policy.

Through our operational review, we will look at the current suitability of ULEVs and EVs for your business, and the measures that need to be in place for alternative fuels to become an effective part of your fleet strategy.

What are the real financial implications of moving to alternative fuels?

Our 0Zone team will provide a clear and transparent analysis based on whole life costs, taxation, NI and other key considerations

For an initial, no obligation and free consultation with a member of our award winning 0Zone team, we would be delighted to hear from you.