The deadline on the manufacture and sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles is still to be confirmed by the government. But there’s no doubt EVs are going to dominate our roads. You’ll need to transition your business fleets to EVs and, most likely, you’ll need to invest in some form of charging facility.
The mention of one key factor in electrification continues to be conspicuous by its absence: energy.
Why energy’s the key
The high energy prices we saw a few years ago brought to the surface how the cost of power can make or break a business. As we move towards an increasingly renewables-led grid, the complexities associated with balancing electricity supply and demand are increasing.
In terms of EVs, decisions energy and fleet managers are having to consider relate to energy, finances and operations. Should they invest in powerful chargers that increase energy consumption but charge vehicles quickly? Or should they adapt schedules to accommodate longer charging periods?
The question is ‘how’ rather than ‘if’ or even ‘when’. And the answer needs to focus on energy.
The dangers of short-termism
The transition to an electric fleet might seem simple. Swap your vehicles and rely on public charging facilities or invest in some chargers of your own.
The reality’s more complex. You’ll want to analyse your existing fleet’s operational requirements so you can prioritise vehicles to transition and identify charging locations and schedules. You’ll have to choose suitable EVs and carry out electrical surveys to understand site capacity, select suitable hardware and optimise connection efficiencies. It’s clear that organisations need the help of expert partners.
An expert electrification partner will manage the entire process of transitioning your fleets and implementing charging facilities. They can offer not only an end-to-end service with one point of contact, but a raft of experience and specialist skills behind the scenes. However, equally importantly, they will be able to help you avoid the traps of short-termism. Not only that, they will also help you understand your sites’ electrical capacities and propose tailored solutions. Without expert guidance, you might find your investment in charging facilities (or future expansion) necessitates costly capacity-upgrade works.
Partner with an energy expert
Partnering with an energy expert, like Drax Electric Vehicles, will do more than get you through the process of electrification. It’ll prepare you for the future. That means cost savings, future-proofed investments, ongoing compliance and prime position for taking advantage of opportunities.
Energy might not be top of your list when you’re planning electrification. So, speak to someone whose list it is top of.
naomi.nye@drax.com
