The trend towards electrification has transcended privately owned vehicles and is extending into all areas of transport. Today, e-mobility is the smart choice for fleets. And that trend is an irreversible one.
Commercial fleets are turning to electric drive at a rapid pace — and that applies to service vehicles and company cars for employees. If you live in a city that’s keeping pace with the times, you may also have noticed municipal vehicles, such as garbage removal, are now running on electric power.
It’s clear that e-mobility is already taking hold across the fleet landscape. But the nagging question for fleet decision-makers, of course, is how to do it affordably. We’ll help answer that question below.
Check out government fleet electrification incentives
A growing number of national and local governments around the globe offer grants, rebates and other financial incentives not only for the purchase of EVs but also for the installation of charging infrastructure.
Fleet operators can often stack incentives from multiple sources to build a comprehensive funding package. Experienced charging providers can assist you in navigating these policies to reduce your cost of electrification.
If you’re located in Europe or the U.S., for example, ChargePoint has an online tool that can help you find relevant fleet electrification incentives where you are. Discover more here for the U.S., or get the information here if you’re based in Europe.
Planning is saving
But while such financial support makes the transformation more viable, correct planning is key to keeping costs down. It’s not just a case of expanding or replacing your fleet vehicles with electric alternatives. You need a holistic plan that includes the charging infrastructure make-ready and deployment and a charging strategy that fits in with your planning, routes and vehicles.
If charging is an afterthought, then there’s a good chance the switch will cost more than it needs to — and that means time as well as money. That’s why you must consider whether you will develop your own charging infrastructure at your fleet hubs, tap into the external or public charging infrastructure or employ a mix of both.
Choose the right partner
Looking for specialist support can be the way to go when making a complex technical change, such as electrifying your fleet. And that’s particularly true if you’d prefer to keep your expenditure steady and avoid surprises. It can also help soften the impact of the high up-front costs inevitably associated with fleet transformation, particularly when it comes to installing charging infrastructure.
Charging as a Service (CaaS) providers allow you to cover all your fleet transformation requirements with a single relationship and a simple payment plan. They can offer expert advice on incentive opportunities and help you plan a cost-efficient yet flexible move to an electric fleet. They can also execute any charging infrastructure installations and take care of day-to-day charging operations once things are up and running.
With a fully integrated, end-to-end electrification solution including hardware, software and services, and over a decade at the forefront of EV charging innovation, ChargePoint is the ideal partner. From route planning and energy modeling to design, contractor procurement, and construction project management, we work with you to make informed charging decisions from start to scale. Our ChargePoint as a Service® (CPaaS®) includes charging infrastructure and support with construction, installation and maintenance for a monthly fee.
Thanks to the financing options included in our CPaaS range, you can also avoid management hassles and high upfront costs while enjoying the predictability of a monthly expense.
Whichever way you choose to go, the good news is that electrifying your fleet will be more affordable than it seems at first glance. Apart from (hopefully) finding a range of government incentives to support you, all you ultimately need is smart planning with the right partner.
