Fleet Evolution is urging more drivers to explore the benefits of electric vehicles as it dispels common myths over their usage.

Andrew Leech, managing director of Fleet Evolution

The fleet management and car benefit specialist, which now has order banks from customers that comprise almost 50% of EVs, highlights a recent AA poll of over 10,000 motorists that showed more than three-quarters (76%) of them believe EVs are too expensive; around 85% say that there aren’t enough public charging points; two-thirds (67%) think EVs take too long to charge; and 68% say that batteries aren’t reliable.

Commenting on the idea that electric cars are too expensive, Fleet Evolution, which was awarded Go Ultra Low Company status last November for its commitment to boost uptake of plug-in vehicles over the coming years, points to the fact that although the Nissan has a slightly higher purchase price than a Ford Focus Titanium X (£29,000, compared to £26,500), the Leaf has much cheaper running costs, at just £10 in terms of electricity used to travel 1,000 miles, while the Focus has fuel costs of around £150 to travel the same distance.

And on the firm’s salary sacrifice car scheme, the Leaf costs around £300 per month on our books, compared to £350 per month for the Ford Focus.

Fleet Evolution also said that concerns over the lack of public charging points should be alleviated by the fact that there are now 17,701 public charge points in the UK as at September 2018, a 27% increase in the last 12 months, while research has found that 50% of drivers have access to a drive or garage at home for charging. And at the same time, many councils are putting in the wiring for public charge points when they carry out essential road or maintenance works in support of local residents who don’t have access to a drive or garage.

And for those cars that need recharging during the working day, Fleet Evolution offers a free workplace charge point to new customers to help increase uptake of pure electric cars and hybrids.

Managing director Andrew Leech also said that concerns that EVs take too long to recharge should be dispelled by the fact that some 80% of motorway service stations now have rapid charge points available on forecourts for drivers to charge their vehicles in double quick time.

Finally, for drivers worried that battery technology is unreliable, Leech said that the latest generation of batteries is very reliable with very few problems having been seen on the firm’s own fleet. The business also offers its ‘electric flex’ option to cover all eventualities.

“Under our ‘electric flex’ scheme, drivers who have chosen a pure electric car through one of our salary sacrifice car schemes can also opt for a larger conventional-engined vehicle, such as an MPV, on a daily rental basis at a preferential rate as part of their package. That way all their motoring bases are covered,” added Leech.