ARTICLE: 7 steps to going electric
Unsurprisingly, the switch to electric vehicles (EVs) can be a little daunting. After all, petrol and diesel have been the mainstay of fleet fuels since the first company car. However, with expert knowledge and assistance, the switch to EVs can be made simple. What’s more, both the environmental and financial savings can make going electric attractive to any business.
To help make this journey as smooth as possible for you, we’ve split the process up into seven easy steps that any fleet can use as a starting point on their EV journey.
- Set a target
The sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles will be banned from 2030, so it’s best to get ahead of this deadline and set a target. You can then split your goal into stages based on your fleet renewals and to suit your operation, such as the percentage of EVs on fleet by an agreed date.
- Gain leadership buy-in
Support from your Senior Leadership team will help make the road to going electric much smoother. For example, by highlighting how incorporating EVs can reduce business costs, enhance your recruitment offer, lower carbon emissions and boost your business’s profile.
- Communicate with your drivers
Explaining what you’re doing and aiming to achieve by making the switch to electric vehicles is essential when communicating with your drivers. Keep them on side by talking to them and listening to their concerns. You’re likely to find that the significant benefit-in-kind (BIK) savings of going electric mean that most are highly receptive to the move. Act now to maximise that BIK advantage.
- Organise test drive events
Consider organising a test drive event in partnership with car manufacturers so that your staff can experience what it’s like to drive an EV. Alongside this, have experts on hand to answer questions about how to drive and charge an EV.
- Consider charging points
Communication with drivers is again the key when considering your policy on charging. The simplest way is to give advice on home charge point installation and pay the Advisory Electric Rate (AER) for business miles as set out by HMRC. However, you may also need to help drivers with other charging options if they aren’t able to install a home charge point.
- Think about models and car grades
To work out which electric car models should be available in which car grade, it’s essential to use a whole life cost (WLC) figure, as the generally higher list price of EVs doesn’t accurately represent the overall business cost. Work with your HR team to get this working to your advantage, as incorporating EVs into your choice list can be an effective recruitment tool. Also, regularly review your choice list, as the pace of new model introductions is rapid and keeping it up to date will help the business and also encourage buy-in from employees.
- Encourage uptake
Rather than relying on the normal fleet renewal cycle to see drivers switch to EVs, consider offering an early change for petrol and diesel car drivers at, for example, 12 months before the end of their contract. Continue to review your car choice list regularly to gradually remove Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles and add in new EVs when they become available.
How can we help?
Leasing EVs not only helps to lower your business’s carbon footprint, but also helps to make EVs more accessible to your employees.
Our team of experts are on hand to support you in making the switch to an electric fleet. So if you’d like to find out more about how we can help, why not get in touch with your Business Manager or complete the form below.
