Converting your corporate fleet to electric cars: the benefits of switching to electromobility

However you look at it, when searching for an alternative, environmentally friendly drive concept, electromobility will be unavoidable in the future. Experts are certain that electric vehicles will conquer virtually all areas of mobility in the future, and will be used for both private purposes and in the business world.

A look at the Swiss corporate landscape shows that a wide variety of sectors are already using sustainable mobility. Electric vehicles can be found in medicine, sales, administrative bodies, logistics and facility management. AMAG is another excellent example.

The benefits of switching are clear: the purchase prices of electric cars are falling and their range is increasing. The number of charging facilities is also continually rising. Companies that use electromobility can also benefit from grants and tax breaks in many areas, as this overview shows. And last but not least, companies that say goodbye to combustion cars also enjoy a significant boost to their image. Environmental responsibility is also part of what is known as corporate social responsibility (CSR), which is a company’s voluntary pursuit of sustainable development beyond statutory requirements.

Checklist for switching to electric cars

So why is now the right time to make the change? Fleet specialist Cédric Disérens, Brand Director VW PW & Fleet at AMAG, has a very simple answer to this question. ‘It is already well worth switching to electric cars. But the requirements need to be clearly analysed and defined. Our fleet team is ready and waiting in every region to provide a TCO (total cost of ownership) calculation for the overall costs, and to offer companies comprehensive advice at all times.’ The following checklist sets out the specific steps to take.

1 Perform a usage check

The first thing to do is for the company to analyse factors such as vehicle usage areas, routes driven (inner-city traffic or longer cross-country distances?), vehicle capacity utilisation, charging time window, and charging options. This will make it clear how many electric vehicles will be required and what type they should be.

2 Select suitable electric cars

AMAG fleet customers can choose from the whole range of commercially deployable electric cars. These range from small city cars (VW e-up!), to larger vehicles such as the VW ID.3, Leon e-hybrid, Škoda Octavia Plug-in-Hybrid or CUPRA Born, to SUV models like the Audi Q4 e-tron, Tiguan eHybrid, Škoda Enyaq iV or VW ID.4. Commercial vehicles such as VW’s ABT e-Transporter 6.1 are also available.

3 Choose the type of electromobility

Should the fleet be fully electric (BEVs), or would you like to use a variety of drive systems? People who are unable to precisely calculate driving distances and need to remain more flexible can go for semi-electric options, such as hybrid cars (HEVs) or plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). The latter are particularly suitable for urban use with a lot of stopping and starting.

4 Check the number of charging stations

Once you have chosen your fleet, the next step is to plan the charging infrastructure. The key question is: are there sufficient charging stations available at the company and/or employees’ homes? Depending on the size of the company, there may be a significant number of vehicles that all require regular charging. It is also important to note the type of charging station: do I have buses or trucks with larger batteries? However, there is no need to ensure a specific charging space for every vehicle. The procurement costs for this would be far too high, and the need can be mitigated using clever charging management.

5 Seek advice regarding charging infrastructure

Ideally, you should seek professional support with installing your charging infrastructure. AMAG and its partners will help you come up with tailored charging solutions. These need to be secure, enable flexible use (e.g. with option to access other charging points) and include efficient load management. This means that the available power is distributed intelligently, and that, alongside operating machinery, office infrastructure, lighting and cafeteria facilities, there is still sufficient electricity to charge the fleet. Overall, clever charging infrastructure helps to keep operating costs as low as possible.

6 Consider your own photovoltaic system

In many ways, it is a good idea to produce your own electricity for your fleet of electric vehicles, using a photovoltaic system on the roof of your company building. This helps both the environment and your budget, as the power can be used by the company itself and then any excess temporarily stored in batteries.