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Are EVs right for my fleet?
What the LEXperts say
EVs are quieter, cleaner, offer taxation benefits for both employer and employee, and can work for almost any fleet. EV choice depends on the nature of your business, its location, your fleet budget, and your employees’ driving needs.
Employer considerations
There are several important factors to consider when switching to or establishing your EV fleet:
- Miles covered. If your employees are regularly driving long distances, opting for a longer-range vehicle could reduce the need for regular charging breaks.
- Charging access. There are lots of workplace and home charging solutions to choose from.
- The whole life cost. This captures fuel, maintenance, national insurance contributions, and more. Notably, using the whole life cost metric, one corporate fleet made average yearly savings of over £90,000 by switching to EVs. Read the case study here (PDF, 290KB)
- The ESG imperative. All companies will transition to zero-emission vehicles eventually. Acting now would prepare your organisation for the transition.
Employee considerations
EV drivers rarely switch back to petrol or diesel, as confirmed by research. This is a great endorsement of the all-round experience. An attractive car benefits package can be a useful tool for recruitment and retention. Remember to:
- Assess the affordable leasing options that are on offer
- Promote the fuel and tax savings that your employees can enjoy
- Provide employees with a range of leasing options
- Make sure your employees have access to workplace or home charging points
Vehicle choice
Regardless of your fleet priorities, there’s likely to be an EV to suit your requirements. Most EVs can achieve at least 200 miles on a single charge, reducing the need for regular charging. Some of the key considerations when choosing an EV is their efficiency (miles per KW – much like MPG), their real-world range, and their charging speeds. Some cars can charge at more than 200 miles in 20 minutes on ultra-rapid charging. You can choose between compact models that maximise efficiency or luxury cars that offer executive comfort and state-of-the-art technology.
Battery-only electric vehicles (BEV) produce zero tailpipe emissions and reduce carbon emissions substantially. This is important if this is a primary goal for your organisation. If a BEV is unsuitable for an individual, plug-in hybrids are efficient when used primarily in EV mode. But they need to have a significant percentage of their journeys carried out in electric mode to make them both cost and environmentally effective. Our consultancy team can support you when making these decisions.
Article published February 2025