More businesses are considering either integrating electric vehicles into their fleet or turning their fleet completely electric mainly because of fuel prices. Electric vehicles have greatly evolved over the years, especially when it comes to charging time and range, so they can be considered proper business vehicles these days. But electric vehicles still have limitations, and you cannot overlook them as they may affect your operation in ways you didn’t expect. Here are some of the pros and cons of electric vehicles for businesses.
Pro – Lower running costs
The biggest benefit of electric vehicles is that they will cost less to run and maintain over their lifespan as long as you don’t keep them for too long. If you manage to sell these vehicles just at the right time you might not even have to think about repairs as these machines have very few moving parts.
You could do even better and lease your electric vehicles. This way, maintenance will be taken care of, and you’ll always be driving the latest and most energy-efficient vehicles in your fleet.
Con – Lower residual value
You’ll have to be very careful when managing your fleet, however, as electric vehicles tend to depreciate much faster than other types and vehicles and you might have trouble unloading older cars in your fleet. Keeping electric vehicles for too long is a bad idea as these models change all the time and improvements are made almost every year. Proper fleet replacement and lifecycle management will be key if you want electric vehicles to work for you.
Pro – Project a green image
Not having a green fleet might not be that big of an issue to you, but more people are starting to raise concerns about emissions and there’s a very strong chance that you’ll get criticised for not having an energy-efficient fleet. So, if you want to avoid PR issues, making the switch could be a good idea.
Or maybe you’re genuinely concerned about the environment? In this case, moving to an electric fleet is one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint.
Con – Logistic issues
Moving to an all-electric or partially electric fleet will require that you make some significant changes to your organisation. You’ll need to have multiple chargers installed around your premises and protocols in place to make sure that no vehicles are left uncharged.
Routes may also have to be reimagined to make recharging easier. You may have to keep a few non-electric vehicles for long-distance hauls as well. And, if your employees routinely have to drive long distances, then it might not be the best option to go for electric vehicles. To understand more about how long EVs take to charge, the linked guide will be able to help.
Before you decide to go for electric vehicles, make sure that you look at your operation first and see if they could work. If you believe they can, they could instantly reduce your costs and benefit your bottom line, so consider adding them to your fleet as soon as possible.
