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Unless you have been on a deserted island, channeling your inner Tom Hanks in Castaway, chances are you have been exposed to the buzz surrounding electric vehicles(EV) in some capacity. Over the past few years, EVs have gone from science fiction to reality in a very short amount of time.
Growth in demand has resulted in a variety of makes and models hitting the market each year which now includes fleet vehicles like Class 8 trucks. While infrastructure surrounding electric vehicles is still growing, fleets across the world are making the move for a variety of reasons.
Benefits of Transitioning to Electric Vehicles
Decisions made on fleet management teams act as a stone tossed into a pond. Ripples may start small, but will eventually impact every aspect of the fleet. So it would make sense that from an operational standpoint that fleets will be more diligent when considering a transition to electric vehicles. Here are 3 reasons why you should consider a transition sooner rather than later.
Safety
No matter the shape, size, or freight being carried, safety should always be a top fleet priority. When comparing electric vehicles to their combustion counterparts, EVs are generally considered safer. This is in large part due to the fact that electric vehicles are subjected to additional safety testing, on top of the established requirements.
You may be surprised to learn that the battery, and where it is strategically placed, play an integral role in the increased safety of EVs. Batteries in electric vehicles are placed in a way that lowers the overall center of gravity of the vehicle. In collisions, this greatly reduces the likelihood of a rollover, a factor that directly impacts fatality rates in collisions.
A little-known safety feature is a larger crumple zone, thanks to the smaller engine in EVs. Remember Newton’s Third Law, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction? This is true in collisions. The energy that is generated during the collision is less likely to be passed to the occupants in an electric vehicle due to the increased size of the crumple zone.
Cost Savings
Let’s call a spade a spade, most fleet decisions revolve around cost. For this reason alone, it is worth noting the return on investment that fleets see when transitioning from combustion vehicles to electric vehicles.
Maintenance costs related to electric vehicles are significantly lower than their counterparts. This is mostly due to the fact that EV engines are much simpler and require less maintenance. Reoccurring preventative maintenance costs such as oil changes and transmission flushes are no longer a problem for fully electric fleets. Timing belts and fuel pumps? A thing of the past.
Additionally, for many fleets fuel accounts for as much as 60% of operating expenses. In general, electricity is a cheaper fuel source than alternatives. Cheaper fuel and vehicles that are up to four times more efficient at converting energy into miles are a great way to affect the fleet’s bottom line.
Environmental Impact
The Environmental Protection Agency attributes approximately 30% of greenhouse gas emissions to the transportation sector. Newer model EVs are more efficient than their predecessors, a trend that is likely to continue. With models on the market that can reduce their emissions by as much as 90%, a transition to an electric vehicle fleet can have a major ecological impact.
Geotab - The Industry Leader
With the rise in fleet technology over the past decade, fleets have become accustomed to crunching data to help streamline operations, maintenance, and costs. For many telematics providers, the introduction of EVs into the market has posed significant challenges to asset management.
Unlike combustion engines, EV manufacturers are not subject to consistent standardization protocols when providing access to vehicle data. The result has left many telematics providers scrambling to penetrate the market and provide a viable solution to their customers.
Geotab, the world’s leading telematics provider, has taken steps to streamline the process of integrating with the rapidly growing pool of EV options for fleets. Realizing that each new model of EV requires a different approach to access data has allowed Geotab to grow with the market.
Demonstrating the willingness to adapt and the ability to seamlessly scale as more models come onto the market has set Geotab apart.
Integrating Electric Vehicles Into Your Fleet
Timing on the integration of EVs into your fleet will rest upon a number of factors. As adoption becomes more widespread, increased pressure will be placed on fleets to transition away from traditional vehicles. This may come in the form of legislation, but the value of increased margins resulting in higher driver pay will likely have a bigger impact in the short term.
If you are interested in learning more about how Geotab can help smooth out the transition to an electric fleet, the Argos Connected Solutions team is here to help. Our team has helped fleets of all shapes and sizes streamline their fleet management process and looks forward to playing an integral role as more fleets adopt electric vehicle technologies.
Call our team today at 866-329-7499 or visit ArgosConnected.com to learn more.
