Electrification Is Inevitable And Imminent Says Nearly 80% Of Fleet Managers

New research from Fuel Card Services deep dives into fleet manager attitudes and expectations of the market in 2024, with a focus on the role electrification will play in shaping fleets in the coming months and years.

The March 2024 survey gathered data from 250 fleet managers across the UK, with fleets ranging from 1-1000+ vehicles and containing a full spectrum of fleet vehicle types including LCVs, HGVs, buses, vans, and cars.

Fleet electrification shows no signs of slowing down

Despite the cost-of-living crisis, 98% of respondents said they would be growing their EV fleets within a year, with 79% saying the expansion would be happening in the next 6 months.

This staggering figure could signify that fleet managers now view EVs as a viable and immediate alternative to combustion engine vehicles. As battery ranges increase and electric HGVs are trialled, it's becoming clear that electric vehicles are now a central part of the modern fleet mix - and this survey found that 85% of fleet that include HGVs will invest in EVs within the next 6 months.

The cost of living can’t hit the brakes on sustainable updates

60% of survey respondents said they believe electrification is inevitable and will not be held back by the current economic climate. Separately, less than a third of fleet managers said they think the economy will delay electrification.

Charging infrastructure at work is almost ubiquitous

As the uptake of electric vehicles for personal and work purposes grows, the call for businesses to provide EV charging options at home and in the workplace is increasing. How many fleets do you think currently provide workplace charging points? Interestingly, we found that:

90% of respondents said they currently have charge points for electric vehicles set up at the workplace.
Over half of respondents already accommodate home-charging tech.
Only 4% of respondents said they do not currently offer EV charging options to their workforce.

Embracing sustainable practices like electrifying fleets and introducing charging infrastructure is no longer just good for the environment - it's good for business. Fleet operators identified costs, operational efficiencies, and company values as the biggest drivers of sustainable change within their organisations – and that change appears to be happening in real time.

Tom Cosway, Head of Commercial at Fuel Card Services says:
"Seeing that approximately 79% of fleets plan to incorporate EVs within the next six months underscores a widespread belief that a sustainable transition is now not just about company values; it is also about what’s good for business, and for employees.

"With electric vehicle ranges and options constantly improving, and public charging infrastructure rapidly expanding, many of the previous barriers to EV adoption are diminishing. Adding to this the clear benefits that fleet drivers gain from switching to electric, it’s easy to see why nearly all fleet operators now view EVs as a no-brainer for the vast majority of use cases, regardless of fleet size. In an evolving landscape, fleet solutions and services must cater to the changing needs of business fleets and support them in transitioning as seamlessly as possible.

"At Fuel Card Services, we are supporting fleets with their transition to EV by offering a growing range of charging solutions, including EV charge cards which let you easily access thousands of charging points across the UK.”