Why Consider Fleet Conversion To Electric Vans And Vehicles?

Why should you consider converting your commercial van fleet to electric vans and vehicles? What are the potential costs related to the change? There are several reasons to convert, including the UK government mandate, clean air zone charges, and public perception of your company’s commitment to sustainability. 

MAXUS is the future of fleet and committed to supporting a sustainable transport industry in the UK with our range of electric vehicles (EVs) and vans. We are proud sponsors of the Urban Operator of the Year category at the 2024 Motor Transport Awards and had the honour of announcing one of our long-standing EV clients, DPD, as the category winner. In this article, we discuss the common hidden costs of converting to an electric van fleet and share more about the infrastructure upgrades and employee training required. We also highlight how MAXUS can help.

Potential Hidden Costs: Electric Vans and Vehicles Conversion

Managing a fleet that blends old technology, such as internal combustion engines (ICE), and the new technology electric vans represent, has its challenges. EV conversion costs are higher, but several factors mitigate the expense. Let’s look at the top three:

Initial purchase price. Although an electric van’s initial purchase price is higher than an ICE van, the cost is offset by the government’s plug-in van grant (PIVG) initiative. This discount is included in the final purchase price.

Domestic energy costs. High energy costs are a reality. Companies can save by charging their EV fleets during off-peak hours. Insurance. EV insurance costs are higher but will decrease as the electric van market matures and more companies convert their fleets.

Infrastructure Upgrades for Electric Vans and Vehicles

An article by Fleet News highlights research indicating a lack of charging infrastructure is one of the main reasons companies are not converting their fleets to electric vans. However, Zapmap shows that the UK’s EV public charging infrastructure continues to grow and is now available at 35,810 charging locations. 

The government also assists businesses with the cost of installing charging stations and other infrastructure upgrades. The Workplace Charging Scheme provides grants towards the cost of the purchase, installation, and infrastructure of electric vehicle charge points at eligible places of work. Small-to-medium-sized businesses can get grants to install electric vehicle charge points and support infrastructure for their staff and fleet vehicles. There is a lot of support if you want to convert your fleet.

Electric Vans and Vehicles: Employee Training and Adaptation Cost

There are fundamental differences in the driving experience between ICE and electric vans. Training drivers to operate EVs efficiently and safely is vital to a successful fleet transition and would be one of the EV conversion costs your business must budget for. 

Why is the training necessary? EVs accelerate much faster than diesel or petrol vans, and they are very quiet, which could be unnerving when one is not used to it. Range management is also essential to achieve optimum results. The MAXUS eDELIVER 9 has a Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) city range of 219 miles, and drivers must adapt their driving style to get maximum use of the available battery power. 

Budgeting for a Successful Transition to Electric Vans and Vehicles

Budgeting for a successful EV fleet transition is not as daunting as one might expect with all the government assistance currently available to companies. MAXUS also eases your transition cost burden with our Intelligence Onboard system. It helps you manage your fleet expenses with simple reports from real-time data. Use it to understand driver behaviour, and maximise fleet range with live state of charge information, including how much recharging costs at each station. You can even compare the total energy costs of your electric van fleet with those of your ICE fleet. 
MAXUS electric commercial vans and vehicles are available from more than sixty dealers across the UK. Our roadside assistance service operates throughout the UK and Europe and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Convert your fleet and let your company benefit from the switch to electric vans and vehicles.  Contact MAXUS today.