Electric engines may have been invented back in the mid-1800s, but the world has only seen mainstream adoption of the technology over the last few years.
Despite the efforts and innovative designs of many manufacturers, the concept didn’t have much traction to succeed, primarily due to the cost versus combustion engine alternatives.
But this is a thing of the past – and e.surv is changing with the times.
As a nationwide business with a network of over 500 surveyors across the UK, the need for a cleaner, greener range of vehicles on our company car fleet has been on our company agenda for many years.
Last year, we introduced a wide range of hybrid and electric vehicles to our company car fleet and in January 2021, 100% of orders placed were for plug-in hybrids with an average CO2 of 37g/km.
February wasn’t far behind, with 75% of colleagues opting for the greener initiative. We have also seen our first fully electric vehicle order for the VW ID3 Hatchback.
We’ve collated a range of positive feedback from colleagues delighted with their new vehicles, the most popular of which are the Mercedes CLA 250e AMG Line, the BMW 330e SE Pro and the Volvo XC40 PHEV.
Charging and range
But scepticism and a lack of information has undermined the widespread adoption of ‘greener’ technology. Indeed, much of the reticence around switching to greener cars stems from motorists’ anxiety about charging and the battery range for onward journeys.
While these concerns are currently more relevant to fully electric cars (BEV), they will only increase as the range of plugin hybrids (PHEV) option grows.
Both recognised phenomena, ‘Range Anxiety‘ is the fear of running out of power before arriving at a charge point to replenish coupled with the fear of being stranded, while ‘Charging Anxiety‘ is the fear of arriving to a recharge point and not being able to plugin.
In response to research conducted by the government and associated infrastructure departments, charging points have been installed across the UK and the following government plans may put paid to some of the anxiety regarding charging and range:
- A driver will never more than 25 miles from a rapid charging point along England’s main motorways. Each site offers an average of two rapid charges and a handful of slower rate chargers. Larger sites can offer as many as 10-12
- As of 1 January 2020, there were a total number of 809 open access charging point, with more being rolled out during 2020
- Rapid charges can deliver around 120-145 miles from a 15-minute charge
- By 2023, facilities will include at least six high powered charges, on average.
In addition, companies like Tesla and the major UK supermarkets are increasingly offering their own charging points, so charging anxiety should dissipate. There are also some apps available to help locate charge points.
At e.surv, we will continue to enhance our fleet with greener alternatives to the traditional combustion engine, supporting our colleagues to make informed decisions about range and tax benefits, and debunking some of the widely held misconceptions about the practicalities of green technology.