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Read moreA crucial part of effective fleet management is harnessing the latest technologies to help improve operational efficiency and productivity for the benefit of your customers and your business. Much like automation technologies, electric vehicles (EVs) present a great opportunity in this regard. Verizon Connect helps you manage your electric vehicle fleet smartly and improve your bottom line.
Let’s take a closer look at the upcoming features of Verizon Connect’s electric vehicle fleet management system and how EVs can help improve your business.
Verizon Connect features for electric vehicle fleet management
The future of electric vehicles is bright, not just in terms of passenger vehicles but also for commercial fleets. Although EVs are nothing new, they are set to play a much larger role in fleet management over the coming years.
With that in mind, we’re launching various features throughout 2020 to better support customers with electric vehicles in Reveal. These features supplement all of the existing tools on our platform, such as GPS fleet tracking, to help ease the process of transitioning to an EV fleet. As a result, Verizon Connect is a fleet management software that provides you with a 360° view of your vehicles, helping fleet managers to manage electric vehicle fleets in a smart way.
Below are just some of the new features you can expect from Verizon Connect.
- Fuel type: Gain a clear overview by selecting the “Battery Electric Vehicle” fuel type, which helps you distinguish your EVs from your conventional vehicles “ICEs” (internal combustion engine vehicles) with ease.
- EV icons: New icons to help you quickly identify your EVs on the Live Map, as well as in the Reports and Alerts.
- Mobile support: See your vehicles, EVs, and Asset location and status on the go in real-time with the Spotlight app.
In addition to these features, Verizon Connect’s fleet management solution supports the management of electric vehicle fleets with fuel monitoring and predictive maintenance tools.
Benefits of managing an electric vehicle fleet with Verizon Connect
Adopting electric vehicles into your fleet can offer a multitude of benefits to your business, your drivers, and the environment. This is especially so when you use a comprehensive fleet management solution like Verizon Connect, which facilitates smart electric vehicle fleet management.
Here are some of the key financial, operational, and environmental benefits that fleet electrification can bring to the table:
Reduced fuel costs
When the whole lifespan is taken into account, analysis shows that EVs can have lower overall costs than internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEs). Specifically, while the purchase cost of EVs is higher, their operational costs are lower compared to ICEs. One of the biggest reasons for this is fuel price, which of course is among the most significant costs in running a fleet. Charging an EV is much cheaper than filling up a diesel car, for example. This translates to approximately 23 cents per km for diesel compared to 5 cents for EV. In addition, EVs are less prone to fluctuating prices on the market than fossil fuels.
As a result, running an electric vehicle fleet is a great way to reduce fuel costs, particularly when combined with fleet management tools like fuel monitoring.
Reduced maintenance
Another factor behind the lower overall operating costs of EVs is maintenance. As opposed to ICEs, electric vehicles tend to have fewer moving parts that may wear out and need replacing. The battery, motor, and various electronic components also require very little ongoing maintenance, especially in comparison with ICEs. As a result, introducing electric vehicles into your fleet can help you decrease vehicle downtime while reducing overall maintenance costs. Nevertheless, batteries and components do require some maintaining, and this process can be managed effectively with predictive maintenance using fleet management software.
More environmentally friendly
Some have questioned whether EVs are more environmentally friendly once their production and electricity generation is taken into account. However, research has shown that they result in lower carbon emissions, even if the electricity is generated using fossil fuels. In fact, driving EVs is better for the environment than petrol cars in 95% of the world.
Helping protect the environment is valuable in itself, but running an electric vehicle fleet may also help align with government emissions reduction and renewable energy targets and regulations in the coming years. For example, the Australian government aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2030. Electric vehicles are bound to be a key part of this effort.
Ideal for urban and suburban areas
An EV fleet doesn’t just benefit your business from a cost saving and operational efficiency perspective, it can also benefit your drivers. Especially in urban and suburban environments, the driving experience of electric vehicles can help increase comfort for drivers while reducing stress and fatigue. EVs are perfect for stop-start journeys, such as deliveries, since they accelerate quickly and drivers don’t have to change gears.
An EV fleet improves your brand image
Managing a fleet of electric vehicles helps demonstrate that you are an ethically conscious and forward-thinking business that embraces technological advancement. These days, businesses of all kinds are competing in markets where customers value green credentials more than ever. Because of this, electrifying your fleet can help boost your brand image, not just your operational efficiency.
Harness the potential of EVs with Verizon Connect
Given the advantages mentioned above, electric vehicle adoption is an attractive proposition from both a financial and environmental perspective. But buying electric vehicles for your fleet in itself isn’t necessarily enough to release their potential—this is where software for electric vehicle fleet management plays a pivotal role. Verizon Connect is a solution designed to release that potential, helping you to organise your EV fleet in an efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly way.