Fleet electrification savings revealed in REA report

A new whitepaper has highlighted the savings fleet managers can expect from electrifying their fleets.

The cost savings report from the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA) and the Energy Saving Trust suggested fleets can expect to save around £1,500 annually per light commercial vehicle (LCV) driving 15,000 miles a year (60 miles a day, 250 days a year) if charged at the depot or home.

For rigid HGVs driving the same distance, the savings could be up to £3,500 annually.

The whitepaper also emphasised the benefits of smart charging, which can significantly reduce costs by enabling fleet managers to schedule charging during off-peak times when electricity prices are lower.

Smart charging also reduced the need for costly grid upgrades and improves overall efficiency.

Matt Adams, transport policy manager at REA, said they conducted the research to "support fleet managers to successfully electrify their fleets, providing a step-by-step process, demonstrating value for money and efficiency savings that can be utilised by electrifying, as well as the current barriers to accelerated adoption."

Future of roads minister, Lilian Greenwood, said: “Our roads are undergoing a technological revolution, and fleets will play a big part.

“A cleaner greener transport network is a key priority for this Government, which is why we have plug-in grants available for vans and trucks and programmes aimed at scaling up zero emission HGVs, to decarbonise road freight.

“The REA and Energy Saving Trust’s new resource is a great step on our path to net zero.”