In many ways, we’re still at the beginning of the electric vehicle revolution. As the benefits of driving clean electric vehicles mount, more and more businesses are going to see the advantages and make the switch to an all-electric vehicle fleet.
Image credit: Adobe Stock / New Africa
This doesn’t mean there won’t be challenges. Adding an electric vehicle to a commercial or municipal fleet is very different from adding a traditional combustion engine vehicle– not because the driving of the vehicle is so different, but because charging, tracking, and paying for “electric fuel” is fundamentally different from filling up and paying for gas or diesel.
What is the best way to track, expense, and reimburse employees for charging at home? How can we prevent anxiety related to EVs having a limited range before their next trip? What new data and processes are needed to effectively manage EV fleets?
Not dealing with these interconnected challenges effectively means a business will struggle with their growing EV fleets. Not only will the management of the fleet be inefficient, but fleets could also run into operational issues and route planning challenges (will the vehicle make it through its shift?). Dealing with these challenges effectively is critical to enabling fleets to realize the opportunities for fleet improvement that are possible with EVs.
Any solution to these problems also needs to be comprehensive. Covering just a few of the challenges doesn’t cut it. Fleet owners need a solution that covers paying for charging and otherwise managing every vehicle they run.
If you’re a business interested in adding EVs to your fleet, we’ve got great news. FLEETCOR® has two Fleet Management Solution businesses, Comdata® and Fuelman®, that are teaming up to cover the needs of fleets of all sizes. In this article series, we’ll be reporting on their joint effort to give fleet owners the information they need to make their switch to EVs a success.
