The Reality for Transitioning Fleets
Fleet operators are facing an increasing pressure to reduce the carbon output of their fleets by switching to electric vehicles.
We sat down with Charlie Gilbert, Partner at Field Dynamics, to discuss the hidden complexities involved in the transition to a fully electric fleet, as well as lessons learned from our fleet transition projects.
What stages do you see organisations at with their EV fleet transition journey?
“...Centrica have made great progress on their objective to fully electrify their fleet by 2025...It’s crucial that we take the learnings from the early adopters who have made the switch...Transitioning at scale needs the detailed thinking, with multiple stakeholders being involved in the process...
How will the switch to EV affect the day to day running of your operation?
“Fleet transition impacts all areas of your business...even without the EV question, business as usual transformation is sometimes complex and time consuming...all these changes need to be captured, measured and assessed.”
What other factors do you need to consider?
“This depends on some key elements. At a high level, the closer your operation of today reflects the range and specification of tomorrow the easier the transition, but delve deeper and its more nuanced than this...
- Fleet Mix – with larger fleets in particular, its almost certain you won’t be able to make a wholesale switch.
- Charging Concurrency – important to understand the level of concurrency of charge that is needed, especially in a time-critical operation.
- Power Requirements – the price can vary significantly depending on a range of factors and you may need to consider other ways to charge or power your sites.
- Wider Changes to your Operating Model – if you are looking to secure new contracts, acquiring or merging with new entities or changing your wider operating model its worth thinking about EV and future-proofing your planning.”
What future developments and innovations do you foresee?
“Most leasing providers and telematics companies are building out solutions...We are already seeing significant interest and funding opportunities for innovation in this area...
There will be new partnerships and new service models to broker.”
About the author…
Charlie has over 15 years of experience working with a range of field service functions across the service and utility sectors, helping clients to redesign and restructure their operations to improve productivity. Charlie also leads on Field Dynamics net zero and EV transition work.