While many organisations are electrifying their fleets with the main aim of reducing carbon emissions, cost still matters.
Traditionally, the typically higher purchase or lease rates of a battery electric vehicle (BEV) compared with an internal combustion engine (ICE) model have been mitigated by factors such as lower fuel and/or charging costs.
However, this advantage has been eroded significantly through the soaring cost of electricity.
Another traditional benefit for BEVs has been lower service, maintenance and repair (SMR) outlay.
It has been widely supposed they will deliver uniform SMR benefits over petrol and diesel vehicles because they have fewer mechanical parts, minimising the likelihood of breakdown and requiring less routine maintenance.
But with growing numbers of BEVs on the road giving more data in this area, does this expectation still hold true?
Yes, says Vincent St Claire, managing director of Fleet Assist, which has a network of 5,200 franchised and independent garages, but with a caveat.
“All the indicators are strong that SMR for BEVs will continue to be less than that for ICE vehicles,” he adds.
“However, while we are now in a period after the pandemic where BEVs are in proper real world use and we are seeing vehicles doing higher mileage than they’ve ever done, it is still a small sample and until we get a bigger data set in terms of numbers of BEVs, we can’t say with a high degree of conviction the issue is settled.”
Read more: FleetNews
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