How to Keep Your Electric Fleet Vehicle Running Smoothly

The best way to keep your electric fleet vehicle running smoothly is through effective electric fleet management and maintenance, optimum energy use, quick recharging (if required), and access to quality charging stations on all your company’s routes. Maxus is the first choice for electric fleet vehicles, as our market-leading battery technology reduces charging time and energy consumption. We also have a range of adaptable vehicles and readily available services and parts. 

Charging infrastructure is key to the success of electric vehicles (EVs) and even more so for businesses with EV fleets. We already have a number of parking spaces with EV charging points at our Maxus sites and support any business wanting to make the green transition.

However, the success of an electric vehicle fleet hinges not just on charging infrastructure, but also on a robust EV fleet management and maintenance strategy. This means proactively monitoring battery health and charging status to optimise charging schedules and prevent unexpected breakdowns. By taking a proactive approach to EV fleet management and maintenance, businesses can ensure their electric vehicles are reliable, efficient, and ready to tackle any job. 

EV Fleet Management: The Key to a Smooth-Running Electric Vehicle

Electric vehicles introduce new considerations compared to traditional vehicles. Battery health, charging infrastructure, and energy consumption patterns become crucial factors impacting your fleet’s performance.

Electric vehicle fleet management tackles these challenges head-on. It’s a comprehensive system that monitors and optimises various aspects of your fleet, including:

• Battery Health: Keeping a watchful eye on battery degradation allows you to anticipate maintenance needs and ensure maximum battery life. This translates to a longer range and overall fleet longevity.
• Charging Efficiency: Understanding your fleet’s charging patterns helps you develop optimised charging schedules. By leveraging off-peak electricity rates, you can minimise energy costs and maximise charging efficiency.
• Energy Consumption Tracking: Monitor kilowatt-hours (kWh) used per vehicle. This data helps identify energy-efficient driving habits and pinpoint areas for improvement.  Imagine a fleet of drivers operating at peak efficiency – that’s significant gains in operational efficiency for your business.

Electric Vehicle Maintenance: Keeping Your Fleet Charged and Ready

Electric vehicles (EVs) offer a welcome departure from the traditional maintenance routines of petrol and diesel vehicles. Gone are the days of frequent oil changes and complex engine checks. However, keeping your electric vehicle fleet running smoothly still requires a focus on specific areas. Here’s what you need to know:

• Simplified Servicing: Regular servicing remains important for your EVs, but it focuses on different aspects. Thermal management systems, which keep batteries cool and operating efficiently, become a priority. Additionally, tyre care is crucial for maximising range and ensuring safety.
• Preventative Maintenance: Proactive maintenance plans are key. By leveraging data from your EV fleet management system, you can identify potential issues early on and address them before they cause problems. This not only keeps your fleet running smoothly but also extends the lifespan of your vehicles.

By adopting a simplified yet strategic approach to maintenance, you can ensure your electric fleet stays charged, reliable, and ready to tackle any task.

The Evolving Landscape of Charging Infrastructure in the UK

It was interesting to note Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s delay of the ban on the sales of new petrol cars. However, the business community is committed to decarbonising road transport, and Maxus electric fleet vehicles contribute to these efforts.  

The launch of ChargeUK in April 2023 is a clear indication that the landscape of charging infrastructure in the UK is changing rapidly. ChargeUK brings together the largest companies installing public charge points, intending to work collaboratively with the government and other stakeholders for a smooth transition to electric vehicles. Although charging hubs are now offering 8, 16, 24 and even more charging points on one site instead of one or two units, the geographic distribution of charging points is still problematic.   

According to ChargeUK there are approximately 40,000 public charge points at the moment, with hundreds of thousands of smart home and work charge points. The focus is now to ensure the right type of charge point (slow, fast, or rapid) is available to individual and commercial users throughout the UK. 

Navigating the Charging Landscape: Tips for Businesses

Businesses wanting to transition their fleet vehicles to electric were concerned about the high costs of installing EV charging infrastructure. They were expected to pay for a substation upgrade if their site did not have sufficient electricity capacity. Fortunately, this has changed. Access and Forward-Looking Charges Significant Code Review (Access SCR) are rules from the regulator Ofgem that took effect in April 2023. It states that substation upgrades will largely be paid for by Distribution Network Operators (DNOs). 

Practical tips for businesses wanting to install charging infrastructure include speaking to your DNO to understand your site capacity and to plan for future electric fleet charging requirements. It is more cost-effective to practise phased capacity management until your whole fleet is converted. 

Selecting and Installing Charging Stations: A Practical Guide

The type and number of charging stations you install will depend on your company’s needs. If you are a small-to-medium- sized business, you might be eligible for the government’s electric vehicle infrastructure grant for staff and fleets or the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS). Consider the following when planning your charging stations:

• If your site is leased, get your landlord’s permission to install charging stations.
• Attend connection surgeries, workshops, or webinars offered by your DNO before making an application. 
• Charging bays should be wide enough to accommodate a charging point in the middle with two vehicles charging on either side.
• Charge points should be as close as possible to the site’s power supply to cut down on groundwork costs. 
• Decide which charger speed is most appropriate for your fleet.

H2: Additional Tips for Keeping Your EV Fleet Running Smoothly

On top of the core maintenance practices, here are some strategies to further optimise your EV fleet’s operational efficiency and performance, and maximise its overall lifespan:

• Driver Training and Incentives: Invest in eco-driving training for your drivers. This involves teaching them techniques like smooth acceleration and braking, maintaining consistent speeds, and utilising regenerative braking whenever possible. These practices not only extend battery life but also improve overall energy efficiency, leading to reduced charging costs.
• Thermal Management: Extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, can negatively impact battery health and range. Here, thermal management becomes crucial. Utilise pre-conditioning features whenever possible. This allows the car to regulate battery temperature while plugged in, ensuring optimal charging efficiency and maximising potential range when the driver hits the road.
• Telematics and Data Analytics: Leverage the power of advanced telematics systems. These systems collect valuable data on your fleet’s operations, providing valuable insights that can be used to optimise routes, predict maintenance needs, and identify areas where driver behaviour can be improved. By analysing this data, you can make informed decisions that not only enhance efficiency but also ensure preventative maintenance is addressed before minor issues escalate.

Overcoming Challenges and Future-proofing Your Electric Fleet

EV charging in the UK is rapidly becoming less of a problem as the availability of charging infrastructure increases. When you own Maxus EV vehicles, you future-proof your fleet with our Maxus Intelligence Onboard System. It provides live data on the state of your battery charge, charging events, and whether it is on or off the charge.

With this information, you can increase your fleet’s range, energy consumption in miles per kWh, and how much energy is added, including where and at what price. The data is combined into simple reports that help you better understand how your electric fleet vehicles are driven and where you need to make changes. 

Maxus has a good track record of delivering complex fleets for diverse businesses. We have over sixty dealers across the UK where you can select the perfect electric fleet vehicle for your business. Contact us today!