As electric fleets grow, the amount of EV telematics data can feel overwhelming. From battery health to charging sessions, data is causing headaches. But it shouldn’t be. It should be a key factor for the roadmap to a successful fleet electrification strategy.
In this blog, we’re breaking down the key takeaways from our webinar ‘Using data to drive EV strategy’ with Sarah Armitage (Network Rail) and Ben Mohide (Avon and Somerset Police). Let’s look at how some of the UK’s leading fleets are using a data-driven fleet management approach to build a successful EV strategy.
Building a charging strategy and policy that works
In the world of electric vehicles, you can’t just install an electric charger and hope for the best. Data from EV telematics and charging sessions gives fleets the insights they need to place the right chargers in the right place.
- Build your depot charging around ‘dwell time’: Network Rail geofences its 450 depots to track ‘dwell time’. If the data shows a vehicle “sleeps” at the depot overnight, they install AC charging. If the vehicle is only there for a quick stop, they look at DC rapid charging to reduce downtime
- Stop charger hogging: By looking at charging data and vehicle movement patterns, fleets can identify when a vehicle is finished charging but still ‘hogging’ a space. Spotting these patterns makes it easier to rotate vehicles, free up chargers and reduce EV charging downtime
- Turn unused chargers into revenue: Many chargers can sit unused for large parts of the day. With the right tech in place, fleets can open their charging to the public during quiet periods.
Winning the ‘hearts and minds’ of drivers
Switching to an EV can feel like a big change for drivers who have spent years driving a diesel or petrol vehicle. Real-world data is a great tool to settle their nerves, prove the vehicle is up to the task, and overcome anxieties.
- Evidence over anxiety: Use telematics data to show a driver that their actual daily mileage fits within an EVs range. Avon & Somerset police mentioned that police response cars often do 150 miles a day, well within the range of a modern EV.
- Tailored driver training: Vehicle data enables targeted driver training, rather than generic. For example, by analysing behaviour and maintenance data, fleets can identify exactly who needs training on regenerative braking.
Reducing your fleet’s TCO
Today, if fleets aren’t looking at charging habits, mileage and utilisation data in real time, they may be missing out on major opportunities to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) for EVs
- Look for the easy wins: When planning a fleet electrification strategy, many fleets look at mileage data and start with low-mileage vehicles. These vehicles deliver quick wins, build internal confidence and create momentum for tackling more complex vehicles later on.
- Review underused vehicles: Mileage and utilisation data can reveal which fleet vehicles are underutilised. By identifying these vehicles when electrifying a fleet, it’s possible to merge two lower-mileage vehicles into one shared vehicle, reducing the fleet size and costs.
Summary
In the world of electric fleets, data is everything. The fleets that succeed are often the ones that use it to make better decisions from building charging infrastructure around real-world dwell time, to using telematics data to overcome driver range anxiety. Leading fleets like Network Rail and Avon & Somerset Police are proving that a data-driven approach delivers results.
When data guides a fleet's EV strategy, electrification can become simpler and cheaper.
Sad to have missed out on the webinar? We have a treat! Watch the webinar in full on-demand here.