How Do I Electrify My Fleet?

EV fleets are better for the environment, a great marketing message, and saves you thousands in maintenance and fuel. What if all fleets were replaced with EVs? It’s an environmentally sound change that’s occurring right now, and fleet owners are making considerable investments to an electric future.

Reduced Spending on Fuel

While the initial up-front cost for an electric vehicle is higher than its gasoline-fueled equivalent, they are ultimately less expensive to own, fuel, maintain, and operate, and for businesses watching each penny, replacing an entire fleet with EVs can offer a significant long-term savings.

According to MidwestEvolve.org, if a gas-fueled vehicle gets 30 mpg, at about $3 per gallon, each mile is around 10 cents to fuel. By comparison, a similar EV paying 10 cents per kwh, costs around 3 cents per mile to fuel. Imagine reducing the fuel costs of an entire fleet by 70%.

Reduced Spending on Maintenance

Maintenance is almost non-existent for most EVs for at least a decade and what maintenance is needed is far less expensive than for gas-fueled vehicles. Why? First, the drive train of an EV is simpler than for a gas-fueled vehicle, so there are just fewer incidents that can occur. An EV has essentially one moving part: an electric motor. Businesses are finding maintenance on their new fleet to be around 50% of what it was with gas-fueled vehicles.

Making the Switch

Ready for an electric fleet, but not sure where to start? Follow these simple steps to building a fleet of electric vehicles:

1. Understanding your customer’s demand. At times, with new technology and as a business owner the question ends up being “is this a phase or a trend?” In the first half of 2021 Forbes reported that Global EV sales rose by 160%. The desire for EVs is growing. If you’re part of a large corporation with a budget for fleets, there’s no reason not to replace the entire fleet with EVs at once and take advantage of the opportunity. If now isn’t the time for your company to replace an entire fleet, no problem. A fleet can be replaced a few vehicles at a time, or at whatever rate works for your business.
2. Develop an idea of the equipment you need. Blink can advise your company on how many chargers you need, what kind, and where they should go. Giving you the information and technology needed for your to manage your fleet. Preparing ahead alleviates future cost.
3. Choose your charger. Blink offers a variety of charging solutions, such as the IQ 200, which provides the fastest Level Two charging possible. It charges at around 65 range miles per hour, rather than the standard 25, enabling vehicles to take advantage of 80 amps of output on a 100-amp circuit. When choosing the installation of chargers, location matters. Consulate with experts to find the optimal location for them.
4. Don’t forget to apply for grant funding. Tax rebates and grants are available to nearly every business which installs EVSE. Make sure you are getting the best deal possible. Our commercial and residential incentives is updated and can help you see of different rebates in your state.
5. When you have decided how many chargers you need, it’s time to choose your business plan. Blink has not one, but four, because we know your business is not cookie-cutter simple and your business plan should not be either. Sometimes one size does not fit all. We can help you choose the right business plan for you—for some plans, our fleet partners pay nothing for the charger while sharing in profits.

Electric fleets can deliver significant total cost of ownership savings compared to gas-powered fleets. To match charging solutions to specific fleet operator needs makes the transition more efficient. As part of deploying charging infrastructure, fleet operators must also learn a new system and language for fueling and managing their fleets. Partnering with experienced EV charging solution providers is bound to make the process much easier.

The transportation sector is undergoing a massive transformation from conventional vehicles to electric. Automakers around the globe have announced more than $300 billion of EV investments amid a proliferation of affordable electric vehicles and greater choice in EV models, further aiding adoption. Fleet electrification for rideshare, delivery, municipal, autonomous, and other market segments is helping drive this significant rising tide in the transportation sector.

The federal government has also committed to an electric future, with President Biden investing in the nation’s infrastructure. The momentum behind fleet electrification is accelerating, supported by the lower total cost of EV ownership, regulatory imperatives, and increased focus on environmental sustainability alignment.

An electrified fleet isn’t a distant future, it’s a reality that can be reached today.