The low-down on adding EVs to fleets

This story first appeared in the June issue of EVtalk – CLICK HERE to download the magazine FREE

A guide for businesses considering transitioning their fleet to electric vehicles includes two contrasting examples.
One is Westpac NZ’s introduction this June of 65 new electric and plug-in hybrid Hyundai Ioniq cars to its fleet, leased from Custom Fleet.

The other is Meridian Energy’s ownership, rather than lease, of second-generation near-new Nissan Leafs and late model all-electric Hyundai Ioniqs, along with the latest Nissan Leafs.

The two are model examples included in Drive Electric’s newly released white paper Building an Electric Fleet: A “How-to” Guide for Businesses Considering Transitioning to Electric Vehicles.

The guide holds up Westpac NZ commercial services operations and property director Rob Halsall’s work over many months.
Halsall says if he had got the “how to” guide at the start it would have been much easier.

He says anyone who can answer the guide’s six questions will see a compelling case for going electric.

The questions are: What do you need to know about your staff? What do you need to know about your fleet? Vehicle selection – what do you need to know to choose the right EV? Tool or trade or pool vehicle – what you need to consider. What about charging infrastructure? Do the numbers stack up?

Having the right data was important for both Halsall and Meridian’s procurement manager Nick Robilliard.

GPS data of how Meridian staff were using vehicles was critical in making the right calls, Robilliard says. “Your best friend in this whole process is having good GPS data and someone who can interpret and model it.”

Robilliard learned pool cars at one office weren’t out between 9am and 3pm, used at the front end and back end of the day so they could be taken home.

“I found I didn’t need half the cars that were in one particular office and that an EV car share was the better option.” So he chose Yoogo electric car share as a backup.

Routes were planned and tested to ensure fast charging access, avoiding range anxiety.

And employees could test vehicles, watch training videos and access educational tools.

“Taking people on the journey is really important,” Robilliard says.
Halsall says Westpac looked at lease expiry profiles and decided to do the Ioniqs in bulk, maximising third party relationships.

Westpac’s 65 new Ioniqs close the gap on its nearly 100 EV target by 2019, the remaining 32 to be included as leases expire.

So Westpac NZ is on track to convert 30% of its 301-car fleet to electric by the end of 2019, a commitment signed by more than 30 organisations (pages 22 and 23).

Sixty-five chargers are being installed for the fleet.

At least 50 of the new Ioniqs will be fully electric, with a 220km real-world range. The plug-in hybrids are available for staff working further afield.

By comparison, Robilliard found no good reason for buying new vehicles. “For a lot of the around town functions, where people aren’t doing huge kilometres, why would I put a brand new vehicle there?”

As a transitional step Meridian obtained several two-year-old Nissan Leafs, the money he saved on them more than compensating for the cost of new Ioniqs. “I actually spent less electrifying the fleet.”

Both Robilliard and Halsall studied related charging infrastructure.
The cost of installing chargers at offices can vary hugely.
Questions that need checking include what the power board capacity is at each site, how far it is from the board to the charger, and whether AC or DC three-phase is required.

The difference can mean spending a few hundred dollars to thousands. “I had to spend $20,000 to run a whole new power cable at one office because there wasn’t enough power, and the reality is you need to provide some headroom for the future,” Robilliard says.

In one case, retro-fitting charging stations could mean a full shut down on the multi-tenanted building.

There are also questions around home charging, such as who pays. Should the person who takes the EV home and charges it be reimbursed – something Westpac is considering. Or is it part of the car package when assigned to specific staff?

Hyundai Motors New Zealand general manager Andy Sinclair says Westpac NZ is putting its money where its mouth is in terms of its commitment to switch to EVs and for reducing emissions and its carbon footprint.

He says both companies can help others switch their fleets to electric.

Robilliard and Halsall agree EVs stack up in terms of greatly reduced fuel costs, maintenance, servicing and resale value.

For many businesses, fleet “greening” means they’re seen to be doing something about reducing emissions causing climate change.