Are you thinking of investing in an electric fleet for your business?
Sustainability is increasingly ranking high on the agenda for customers, investors and employees. Electric vehicles (EV’s) can offer a significant reduction in transport costs for businesses, as well as safeguarding you against new environmental regulations being introduced to businesses.
In this blog, we outline why you should consider investing in an electric fleet.
The problem on the roads
At the end of June 2022, there were 40.7 million licensed vehicles in the UK, over 12% of these were Large or Heavy Goods vehicles and a good portion of the 33 million cars on the road can assumed to be for business use, as 812,029 cars alone were sold to fleets in 2020.
Every day in the UK, road vehicles emit 323,288 metric tonnes of CO2e. Although not 100% carbon free (as they require energy to produce) EV’s don’t emit harmful air pollutants on a day to day basis. Switching to an electric vehicle helps tackle climate change and improve air quality.
Research also shows forecast lifecycle analysis for electric vehicles offering greenhouse reductions compared to comparable conventional petrol and diesel vehicles operating in UK conditions.
Furthermore, in moving towards its Net Zero commitment, the UK Government has put in place measures to end the sales of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK by 2030.
Why should businesses invest in an electric fleet?
- Reduce your emissions
Transport accounts for over a quarter of the UK’s total carbon emissions. Depending on the type of business and the size of a businesses fleet, transport based emissions may be a significant contributor to their carbon footprint.
By transitioning fleets from oil based vehicles to EVs and installing EV charging infrastructure, businesses can play a role in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and take steps towards achieving net-zero for their business.
- Save money in the long term
Although EV’s can initially be more expensive to buy, they have significantly lower running costs when compared to petrol or diesel equivalents. It can cost as little as 2 pence a mile to run an electric vehicle when charging on off-peak electricity, presenting a huge saving on fuel costs to a business.
- Employee satisfaction
Moving to an electric fleet also benefits your employees. Smart-charging can increase driver confidence, thanks to convenient access to on-site charging facilities
Fleet drivers benefit from an enhanced experience, with reduced driving times, lower commuting costs, a reduced risk of breakdown and reductions in driving-related anxiety.
In addition, providing electrical vehicle charging points encourages the uptake of EVs for personal use and commuting as well.
Things businesses should consider before investing in an electric fleet
- Firstly, conduct and review your carbon footprint data to understand the impact your fleet has on the environment.
- Next up, engage your employees. Bringing your employees on your sustainability journey with you, rather than just informing them of the decisions after the fact, will lead to a high adoption rate.
- Make sure you have explored all sustainable travel options, not just electric vehicles. Making sure you explore things like a cycle-to-work incentive, or encourage your employees to car share where possible.
- Now you’re ready to source your electric vehicles. There are various independent tools to help you shortlist, such as https://www.nextgreencar.com/
- You can’t host an electric fleet without having in-house charging points. There ae various suppliers to chose from but before you select one make sure you have checked whether there are any national or local grant schemes which are available to support with the initial install cost. The government include a list of available schemes here.
- Make the business case to your CEO or board by conducting a cost-benefit analysis that includes pay-back time.
NOTE: In no way do we endorse any product, service or weblink mentioned above.
How can we help?
At Groundwork Sustainable Business, our sustainability consultants are on hand to carry out an independent desk-based review of your current carbon footprint and identify priorities.
We can help you to understand transport emissions, both directly from your business activities as well as indirect emissions, known as Scope 3 emissions.
Our environmental consultants will spend time learning about your businesses operational processes and ambitions and offer guidance on how to design and implement systems that work for you.
We can provide carbon management services through a variety of means, including on-site reviews and distance, desk-based support.
Contact one of our environmental consultants to learn more.
