Fleet buyers have signaled a major switch to electric vehicles (EVs) in the next two years, on the back of a unique EV Drive Day convened by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC).
The EV Drive Day brought together 60 fleet buyers and managers from 41 organisations, who were given the chance to test drive electric passenger and light commercial vehicles.
With 13 models available for testing, the event represented the largest collection of EVs in one place in the Australian market.
The majority of the fleet buyers and managers who participated in the EV Drive Day had more than 250 vehicles in their fleet, with almost a third having 50-250 vehicles
In a post event survey, the fleet buyers and managers were asked about their intentions regarding electric vehicles: 50%signalled they would include EVs in their fleets within 12-24 months and 38% forecast they would have more EVs within three months.
The fleet buyers and managers were also asked to name the main attraction of EVs, identifying reduced fuel and maintenance costs, as well as lower emissions. Potential concerns about switching to EVs included charging infrastructure and the upfront cost of EVs.
In Australia, an estimated 19,000 businesses operate fleets with 20 vehicles or more, representing more.
This does not include the millions of company cars and vehicles operated by small businesses and tradies.
Another very important development in this market is the increasing range of commercial vehicles now available, from smaller-scale buses and vans to heavy duty trucks and electric garbage trucks
It is estimated EVs could represent 90 per cent of all cars and light commercial vehicles on Australian roads by 2050, requiring $1.7B in private investment in new charging infrastructure.
Increasing model availability to allow consumers to find vehicles within their budget is critical, as is public-access charging infrastructure to complement home charging and support vehicle charging for long-haul trips and occasional top-ups
