90% of fleet managers believe EVs are the inevitable future of commercial fleets

More than half (53%) of all respondents would use cost savings from EVs (electric vehicles)  to increase driver wages, according to the survey.

While over 1.3 million electric vehicles are on the road today in the United States, the market for electric commercial vehicles is just beginning. Findings from a new survey of fleet managers find that the adoption of electric vehicles will depend on cost savings and efficiencies, not just positive environmental impacts.

When asked what would encourage an organization to purchase EVs, 44% of fleet managers said reducing fuel spend, 44% said reducing maintenance cost, and 37% reducing environmental footprint. 

The survey, conducted in late March by Wakefield Research, went out to 300 fleet managers in the U.S. across all sizes and industries. 

In the survey, 90% of fleet managers believe electric vehicles are the inevitable future of commercial fleets. Regarding the timeline, 32% responded that they believe fleets will be one-quarter electric within five years, while 50% believe in 10 years. 

According to respondents, switching to electric vehicles requires these needs to be met:
 

• Data analysis on fleet suitability for EVs
• Identifying suitable charging station network providers and chargers
• Custom materials to drive internal leadership support for EVs
• EV model recommendations based on fleet management data
• One on one consultation/coaching on how to get started with EVs

Some 85% of EV owners in the survey reported that traditional vehicles cost more to maintain than electric vehicles. More than half (53%) of all respondents would use cost savings from EVs to increase driver wages.

In other findings, 94% of fleet managers say that COVID-19 will impact their operations more than any single event in the past decade. However, fleet managers of EVs seem more optimistic about weathering the storm: 96% of respondents with EVs in their fleets feel prepared to weather a recession, while 72% of non-EV owners feel prepared.

Source:
Green Fleet Magazine