September 15, 2023 4 min read
EV fleet management is a whole new game.
Don't get us wrong, managing a fleet of vehicles isn't new. And plenty of fleet management software is out there, making it simpler.
But there are whole hives of new electric vehicles on the market, causing quite the buzz regarding optimizing EV fleet management. Managing traditional fleet vehicles requires controlling aspects like vehicle maintenance, driver safety, compliance, and cost control.
EV fleet management brings additional layers of oversight for fleet managers.
Ernst & Young surveyed 200 EV fleet drivers — EV fleet management takes three of the top five spots. Building an EV fleet means creating new policies and processes to manage your efficient vehicles. An up-front effort that pays off your EV investment.
Let's dive into some of the things to consider when managing an electric vehicle fleet.
While EV charging networks are expanding, aspects of reliability, timing, and cost still need to be addressed.
Plus, EV charging can be cheaper and more efficient when planned.
That's why many fleet operators invest in charging infrastructure as part of their switch to electric vehicles. This guarantees that fleet vehicles always have ways available charging stations. Owning chargers also means controlling maintenance — taking away the chance that a fleet vehicle pulls up to an out-of-order public charging station.
The company's parking areas and depots are common places to install charging stations. But businesses that allow drivers to park fleet vehicles at home can also install chargers there. For example, Scandinavian-Baltic bus operator Hansabuss, invested in home chargers for its EV fleet drivers.
EV fleet managers need to have a clear view of:
That's where our EV charging management solutions come in handy.
VOOL's Admin Portal maps all your charging assets. We've ensured that any OCPP-compatible charger can be connected to our system. If you already have EV chargers or decide to expand your EV fleet, you won't have to change charging management software.
No matter which chargers you choose to use.
VOOL Admin Portal shows all completed charging sessions. You can filter down by charging station or by charge point. Or view the details of the EVs charged at that location — session time and date, session length, and electrical costs for each. Remote charger management will notify you when a charge point needs attention.
Knowing where to charge is step one in creating a well-managed EV fleet. Taking full advantage of electricity prices is another.
ICE fleets are at the mercy of market fuel prices. EV fleets can get smart about getting the best electricity rates while charging.
With smart charging available for all chargers connected to VOOL's Admin Portal, your fleet can save money from the first plugin.
Just input acceptable prices and when a vehicle needs to hit the road. The system tracks electricity rates and automatically charges each vehicle based on its specific requirements — saving you charging costs.
Along with managing your charging hardware, you'll need to adjust how you manage the actual fleet.
Because charging takes time, planning that "downtime" for your fleet vehicle is critical for efficiency. Owned charging points make it easy to have an available charging spot for a vehicle. But you still need to monitor range, charge levels, and consumption statistics to plan the right charging location and time for each EV vehicle in your fleet.
You need a vehicle status report.
The VOOL Admin Portal provides a view of each vehicle's charge status. For even better planning, you can track the number of charging sessions, average consumption, and savings on a vehicle level.
You can do this from either the app or the portal. In either case, you'll need to input the address of the charger location. By adding your precise location, you'll benefit from auto-tracking the current local market prices for electricity. And once you're open to the public, it's easier for customers to find your public charger.
Specify whether the site has a fixed-price or market-price electricity contract as part of the charger configuration. If you have a fixed-price contract, you'll have to input how much you're paying. This lets you control your profit margins.
When your EV charger is connected to the VOOL Portal, you'll also get updates on charger status, maintenance issues, and usage reports.
Management means administration.
That's why VOOL's EV charge point management system is intuitive and simple.
Consider each responsibility related to the charging of your EV fleet. Drivers need access to charging points — at your sites or home. And you may want to designate individuals to adjust charger settings and smart charging inputs.
You can stop running reports — for accounting or department updates — and grant access to that data to the appropriate individuals. It's easy to designate roles and access levels in the VOOL Admin Portal to simplify EV fleet management.
Upcoming integrations will make the charging management system even more useful.
We've already designed the Admin Portal to be powerful and simple. No lost time learning how to use it. Instead, you'll make your EV fleet charging efficient, convenient, and cheaper from day one. Plus, there are resources for common questions, and we're always here to help.
Now learn what EV charging with VOOL really means.
VOOL is the complete EV charging solution making reliable, smart, and cost-efficient charging available for everyone. Affordable and hassle-free EV charging fastens the energy transition. VOOL means hardware and software made inhouse, flexible charging options for private users and businesses. You can save money with smart charging and earn money opening your chargers to other EV owners.