Just under a fifth (18%) of UK businesses are confident that electric vehicles present a viable future transport method for businesses, according to research from Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
Around 20% of the 507 middle managers questioned believe electric vehicles are not yet practical for the distance of travel required for business mileage, while 14% of businesses are concerned that employees will be unsure of how or where to charge them. Of those firms more open to change, 42% claimed they would only allow employees to use electric vehicles for local journeys.
Range anxiety continues to be a leading reason why UK businesses remain hesitant about embracing the potential for electric vehicles, the survey showed.
But Enterprise said its own data shows a large proportion of business journeys are actually far less than the anticipated 120-mile charge of electric vehicles, “suggesting that, in some cases, they may be appropriate as part of a broader integrated transport solution”.
Enterprise director of business rental Rob Ingram said: “This research suggests that, while alternative technology may be advancing, businesses adaptation to change is being hindered by a lack of clarity and understanding surrounding the potential for electric vehicles and business use. The challenge is one of changing perceptions.
“Enterprise is working hard to realise the potential of electric vehicles in the rental market as part of a range of rental options. But in the meantime it has also identified the need to help businesses to fully understand their fleet usage. Most businesses require a selection of travel solutions and once they take the time to consider their requirements some may see that, as part of a broader transport policy, electric vehicles could have a role to play,” he added.
Meanwhile, Enterprise’s new online booking system, launched in June, now enables clients to upload their firm’s travel policies on the site, which means employees booking rental cars are increasingly aware of the travel policy and its demands, said Ingram. Such policies are all too often put on a firm’s intranet and are not implemented or seen by workers, he added.
