Rivus Fleet Solutions are leading the charge to electric with EVaaS

The future of electric vehicles (EV) is a hot topic in the automotive industry right now, given the impending 2030 deadline to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel models. Fleet management companies up and down the UK are working out their long-term vision for supplying and servicing their fleets, but Rivus Fleet Solutions feel they have a head start with their new EVaaS proposition.
 
What is EVaaS?

Electric Vehicles as a Service (EVaaS) is Rivus Fleet Solutions offering to fleet operators that will help them navigate the changes to electric as smoothly as possible. EVaaS offers an end to end, single service solution so customers have everything required to move forward with a new electric fleet and transition to a greener future.

Preparing for EVaaS

The Rivus EVaaS offering was initiated to ensure their 56 independent garages are EV ready, with technicians and engineers trained and accredited to the correct IMI L3 level to safely service and maintain its customers’ EVs, as well as having the correct tooling and safety equipment.

Rivus Fleet Solutions are already managing a significant number of EVs on behalf of its fleet customers that mostly work in essential services, so keeping them moving is vital. The training programmes started in April 2021 and the investment in training will continue throughout 2021 and beyond, until each technician is fully trained in delivering a quality EV service.

The charging infrastructure in the Rivus independently-owned  garage network was also reviewed to ensure vehicles can be handed back operationally ready. The charging supplier was appointed through an extensive tender exercise. This was used as a case study to ensure Rivus has been through the process, giving them first-hand experience of what customers will encounter when installing at their offices or depot locations. 

Investing in the team

Thomas Maerz, Chief Development Officer at Rivus, knew the only way EVaaS was going to be a success was by hiring the right people and training its existing team members. Sarah Gray was appointed as Product & Services Development Manager to drive the electric vehicle strategy. Rivus has also invested in project management and data analysis teams to support the development and rollout of EVaaS.

To support technicians who offer Electric Vehicles as a Service to customers, Rivus has invested in training to IMI Levels 3 and 4 across the whole of its garage network. This training has already started and will continue to rollout in 2021.

Investing in the garage network

Rivus Fleet Solutions set about investing significantly in its garages to provide their technicians with new electric vehicle tooling and safety equipment that would allow them to do their jobs to a high standard. Additionally, they have ensured each garage is equipped with EV diagnostics equipment to correctly assess and serve each electric vehicle that enters their garages. 

Accident Management Review

Rivus completed a comprehensive review of its Accident Management proposition, to ensure it could service drivers that had experienced road accidents in their electric vehicle. Over 80% of the Rivus repair team have the capability to complete all levels of repairs to EVs, while over half of its garages already have EV charge points on-site.  Sister company AutoRestore® can also deliver mobile bodywork repairs to EVs for driver convenience. 

Testing EV performance in the real world

Through a series of real-world tests, Rivus has examined how different conditions such as payload, power settings and roof furniture, affect the total range. A newly-published Insight report that shares the EV key learnings is available for download at rivusfleetsolutions.com/ev-insights/

Rolling out EVaaS

Rivus Fleet Solutions have completed a full market review of its products and services to ensure it can help businesses move towards a cleaner future through a single service provision. Once a consultation period has been completed with a customer, Rivus can offer electric fleet solutions in line with the customer’s specific business requirements, thanks to a detailed assessment of the market’s current models based on range, payload, and other factors.

Sarah Gray, Rivus EV expert commented:

“Rivus has developed EVaaS to ensure customers have a single service provision for everything needed to successfully run an electric fleet. The fleet management world is evolving, and we know that sustainability is at the top of many businesses’ agendas.

“It can be daunting deciding to switch to an electric vehicle for the first time, but we are confident that we can help customers find the right solution for their business, to ensure they minimise downtime, achieve their environmental targets, and their business goals.

“We have invested heavily into EVaaS to ensure our customers are informed, educated and supported throughout their journey to a part or fully electric fleet, meaning they continue to get their job done.”

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