Category: Electric Vehicles

As we see more and more electric vehicles hitting UK roads, it’s no surprise to also see an increase in the number of questions asked around these vehicles, and the volume of myths entering the marketplace. From the true carbon footprint of electric vehicles to their distance capability, there is a lot of misinformation to be found – and we want to clear up the narrative on electric vehicles.

In this blog we’ll address some of the most common misconceptions and myths about electric cars, vans and other EVs, from costs to capabilities, in the hope that consumers and businesses looking to purchase EVs can do so while armed with the truth.

Common EV Myths

1. There are no long range electric cars.

One of the biggest pieces of misinformation you’ll commonly encounter is that electric vehicles are not capable of covering long distances, making them impractical for anything other than short journeys. This simply isn’t the case.

Technological advancements have seen the range of EVs on a single charge increase from 29-38 miles back in 2001, to as many as 520 miles in 2022. The advancement in range has been picking up pace in the last five years in particular, and most new electric cars offer at least 200 miles in range as standard.

For those interested in electric vans or heavier duty vehicles, there has similarly been rapid enough technological advancement that these large and often heavier vehicles are keeping pace with their smaller electric counterparts.

If you’d like to learn more about the electrification of delivery vehicles, you can read our blog on Last Mile EVs.

2. Electric cars are more expensive than gas cars.

Those who believe that electric vehicles are more expensive than combustion engine vehicles make the mistake of looking exclusively at the initial purchasing cost of EVs rather than cost over time. Whilst it is true that generally electric cars have a higher upfront cost, they often work out to be cheaper than petrol and diesel cars in the long run, especially if the vehicle is in frequent use.

Buying second-hand EVs is also a great way to knock the price down. It can be easy to overgeneralise the EV market as being occupied by expensive Teslas and Lucid Airs that cost a pretty penny, but there are a host of great EV models available for lower budgets. Buying these second-hand can knock the price down even further. If you are looking to bring more EVs to your company fleet, then leasing or buying electric cars or other vehicles that are a couple of years old can really increase the affordability of the switch.

It’s also important to be aware of the range of government grants and schemes available to help cover the cost of EVs and EV infrastructure, both for personal use and for businesses to capitalise on. For instance, the Workplace Charging Scheme offers businesses and organisations a grant that can reduce the cost of installing EV charge points by as much as 75%, helping to reduce the cost of an EV fleet even further.

3. There aren’t enough electric charging points.

For any driver, being able to refuel (or recharge) when needed is an important part of trip planning, but it’s a misconception that this must be harder for EV drivers. Since September of 2022 there are 34,860 charging points at 20,888 locations across the UK, a rise of 35% since 2021 and a number that is on the rise. Not only that but the number of rapid and ultra-rapid charge points is increasing too, with 6,411 devices at 3,736 locations, a 76% increase on the previous year.

Planning may still be necessary for long trips and until rapid charging points are the standard then there is still a time discrepancy for refuelling between electric vehicles and combustion vehicles. Nonetheless, EV drivers won’t be suffering from lack of charging locations moving into 2023 – especially with the increase in at-home charging options available in market.

4. The National Grid can’t accommodate the increase in EV charging

There is some concern that switching from petrol and diesel vehicles to electric is something that the grid can’t support; a higher level of electrical demand that can’t be met. While the energy crisis of 2022 may add fuel to the fire here, the fact is that this is nothing more than a myth.

Most of our day-to-day devices, like washing machines and computers, are becoming increasingly energy efficient, and what this ultimately translates to is less pressure on our electric grid. Even if we were to collectively make the switch to electric vehicles in an instant, the grid would still be able to manage the demand.

Luckily, the National Grid doesn’t need to worry about such a sudden shift occurring. With years of steady improvement and gradual adoption of electric vehicles, there is plenty of time for the grid system to adapt in an effectively and efficient incremental fashion.

5. You can’t recycle electric vehicle batteries

Electric car batteries are actually highly reusable and recyclable. Over time the power capacity of EV batteries decreases, meaning they are unable to offer reliable power, nor can they move the car as far. At this point an electric vehicle battery needs replacing but the old battery needn’t end up in landfill.

Despite no longer being suitable for powering an electric vehicle, there remains many uses for these batteries. The lithium batteries used in electric cars are likely to retain as much as two third of their usable energy storage even after their life in the vehicle has come to an end. These batteries can then be used as static battery energy storage systems for solar panels, for example.

Many manufacturers of EVs are also have various recycling and re-usage schemes in place to ensure fewer EV batteries end up in landfill. Nissan launched xStorage in 2016 which repurposes batteries from the Nissan Leaf as storage systems for homes and for businesses.

Whilst there is a way to go within EV battery recycling, there is plenty of progress being made at present – and with electric cars growing in number on our roads, there is great incentive to develop and optimise EV battery recycling.

6. EVs have a bigger carbon footprint than gas vehicles

There has been speculation over the real carbon footprint of EVs with claims that high CO2 emissions from their production and the production of the electricity needed to power them makes this eco transport less green than it seems. One study suggested that the CO2 output from EV production is as much as 59% higher than the production of combustion vehicles.

In reality, electric cars and other vehicles have lower ‘well to wheel’ emissions. This measurement of a vehicle’s emission takes in to account the emissions related to extraction and refinement of fuels and the emissions associated with generating the electricity that power them. On average, the ‘well to wheel’ emissions of EVs are less than half that of diesel and petrol vehicles.

Whilst it remains the case that the production of EVs still need improvement to reduce the carbon output, the low carbon output of electric vehicles once in motion means that the initial footprint will be counteracted the longer the electric vehicles is used. This is also likely to further improve as we move more towards renewable energy resources too.

Discover more about electric vehicles with Fuel Card Services

There are many electric car myths in circulation, and it can be hard to know where to go for up to date and honest insights into the world of electric vehicles. To help bring commercial fleet operators up to speed with the latest information on electric vehicles, EV charging and electric fleet news, then our new Electric Vehicle Hub is the place.

Find everything you need to know about electrifying your commercial fleet, with insight into money saving tips and tricks, and a variety of EV charge cards to help keep your EVs in motion at the best price.

If you don’t know what sort of charge card suits your fleet’s needs, read our EV charge cards guide for a step-by-step walkthrough that can help you determine which electric card could help your business.

Unlike the combustion engines that put petrol and diesel vehicles in motion, electric vehicles operate with the power of lithium-ion batteries – and many of them.

Sharing technology with common devices like phones and computers but significantly scaled up, EV batteries use technology most of us are familiar with (or perhaps even use every day) – just bigger. But how are they made, and what are they made of?

In this blog, we’ll take a look at what it takes to make an electric car battery – from raw materials to the manufacturing process, as well as looking at how long they last and how they can be disposed of.

What are EV batteries made of?

EV batteries are comprised of a range of raw materials that require extraction and mining to obtain. It’s this process of extraction that makes these batteries expensive to make. Metals such as copper, aluminium and iron are commonly used in their creation, as well as precious metals such as nickel and manganese. Additionally, the elements of graphite and lithium are used in the making of EV batteries.

How are EV batteries made?

The process of building electric car batteries is a long one, and whilst it was once highly expensive, developments mean the cost of EV battery production is gradually coming down.

The aforementioned precious metals first need to be mined and then refined into pure compounds. This will help increase the longevity of the battery’s charge. With these materials, layers are formed creating the anode, cathode, and the dividing layer which is the electrolyte.

Many of these layers of precious metals are what make the batteries of electric vehicles so heavy and costly. As means are developed to conduct electric currents more efficiently, these batteries will require less of the more costly resources which will also have a positive effect on the weight of EV batteries too.

How long do EV batteries last?

Electric car batteries typically last around 15 to 20 years as of 2022. What this means in miles is the retention of charging-discharging capacity for 100,000 to 200,000 miles. Since average car ownership lasts up to 11.4 years, the 15+ year life expectancy of EV batteries in their vehicles is more than substantial, and they retain usability after this time period ends too.

Whilst an EV battery’s ability to power a vehicle will eventually come to an end, this doesn’t mean these power sources are rendered totally unusable. There are a number of great ‘second lease of life’ uses for old EV batteries.

What happens to old EV batteries?

When electric car batteries do eventually reach the end of their time powering their vehicle, there are a range of pathways it could be sent on and none of them need be a landfill. When electric vehicle batteries begin to lose their capacity, they may not be able to power vehicles, but the performance they do retain means there are many ways they can be repurposed.

If you want to give an EV battery a second lease of life, they can easily be used as battery storage systems, storing energy from solar panels or other renewable energy sources. Giving these batteries a second life alongside renewable energy is great for the environment for a number of reasons and this is why increasingly we are seeing EV manufacturers investing in schemes to ensure these useful batteries get put to good use.

Nissan and Toyota are two brands making investments into the repurposing of their EV batteries. Nissan is using ex-EV batteries as back up power for the Amsterdam Arena and Toyota is using their old batteries to power food warmers, fridges and more in Japanese shops.

Can you recycle EV batteries?

Whilst you can recycle EV batteries, unfortunately the process of EV battery recycling isn’t highly profitable nor is it simple. But whilst these two factors mean that there are developments still to be made in electric vehicle battery recycling, it’s important that recycling practices do go ahead.

As EVs continue to gain popularity and eventually take over combustion engine vehicles as the motor of choice, we are going to see the number of end-of-life EV batteries increase – and we can’t let them pile up in landfill. Similarly, the mining of new materials required to make new batteries is already having an impact on the environment that will only increase as these vehicles increase in popularity and accessibility.

Recycling the hard to source materials required to make EV batteries is going to be essential as we move towards a society that moves more in EVs than combustion engines, and to maintain the sustainability of this shift it’s important that further developments and investments are made in EV battery recycling.

Fuel Card Services EV Hub

If you are looking to electrify your fleet or have already introduced electric vehicles and are wanting valuable insight on matters such as charging infrastructure, funding support and government grants, and electric charge cards then the our Electric Vehicle Hub is the place.

There we are collating all the up-to-date info you need to stay informed and head of the curve with your electric fleet, electric fleet finance and more. If you need support choosing the right EV charge card of other fuel card for your fleet, then make an enquiry today.

There are an estimated 477,000 electric cars on UK roads today and a further 790,000 hybrid cars. We’re seeing more and more affordable electric vehicles and even more electric infrastructure to support this acceleration, but is it possible for these developments to reach the haulage industry? Are electric HGVs something we can expect to see more of?

In this blog, we’ll take a look at the hurdles faced by electric HGVs and heavy-duty vehicles, some of the companies working to develop them, and what other viable alternatives could help to increase the sustainability of the haulage industry.

Why is it hard to make electric trucks and HGVs?

When it comes to electrifying the haulage industry, the biggest difficulty is tackling the weight of heavy-duty vehicles. With HGVs weighing up to 18 tonnes, batteries that have been effectively developed for electric cars and vans are not powerful enough to move these heavy vehicles effectively, and upscaling the batteries adds further weight to these already heavy vehicles.

Electric HGV range

The long-haul journeys that many heavy-duty vehicles regularly undertake are also a hurdle for the creation of electric trucks and HGVs. We’re seeing the range of EVs reaching the 200-mile marker, but with long-haul truckers travelling as much as 700 miles in a day, this sort of range is simply not efficient and would require a number of time-consuming recharging stops.

Despite these difficulties, there are a number of businesses making waves with their electric truck and heavy-duty vehicles. Whilst still some way off creating heavy-duty EVs that can traverse 500+ miles on one charge, they are making a good start by bringing the mileage capacity we are seeing in smaller vehicles to HGVs.

Whilst EVs may not yet be a viable option for long haul journeys, these companies are making it possible for the movement of large quantities of goods in short-haul journeys to be made less impactful on the environment.

Tevva

Tevva is the UK truck manufacturer and technology company that’s accredited with the creation of Britain’s first 7.5 tonne electric truck, and they are supporting medium and heavy-duty urban freight and logistic operators to cut down on harmful emissions. Currently, the mileage on their fully electric truck is 110 miles making these a great means of increasing the sustainability of short-haul truck journeys.

Tevva recently rolled out a hydrogen electric model of their 7.5 tonne truck, boosting the mileage of the fully electric one from 110 miles to 272 miles. Taking just 10 minutes to refuel with hydrogen and with a 90% charge time of 5 hours, this model will be available from 2023.

You can read more about hydrogen vehicles here.

DAF

DAF has been manufacturing trucks for over 50 years and is another company at the forefront of electric HGV development in the UK and Europe. Stressing the importance of “efficient charging systems, robust electric motors, electric PTO options, and more” in the design process of their electric trucks, DAF has developed electric HGVs that offer a mileage of up to 310 miles.

Their trucks brag fast charging times with their biggest battery vehicles taking only 2 hours to reach 100% charge, giving these vehicles a more flexible range of applications, and limiting the time hindrances often associated with EV battery charging.

Are electric trucks and HGVs affordable?

With new technological developments often comes a price tag that isn’t widely accessible. The same applies to the electric HGVs we are seeing being developed. These impressive vehicles have the capacity to cut down emissions significantly but until they are competitively priced, their uptake is not likely to be high.

However, it is expected that electric trucks will become cost-competitive by 2030, a time frame in which we can also expect to see further developments for EVs, including increased battery capacity and mileage. Eventually, electric and hydrogen powered trucks may even overtake their combustion engine competitors as the cheaper option, a shift that would have great benefit for businesses economically and for sustainability.

Electric charge cards from Fuel Card Services

If you have introduced EVs into your fleet and are looking for a suitable alternative to traditional fuel cards that will suit your newly sustainable fleet, then take a look at our EV Hub. Not only can you browse our range of EV charge cards, but you can also find the latest insights on electric vehicles, EV news, and useful resources such as charge point locators.

If you could use some help choosing the right fuel card or charge card, get in touch with our team.

The UK delivery industry has seen rapid growth over the past decade. In 2013, around 1.7 billion parcels were processed each year, rising to 4.2 billion by 2021. In 2023, the industry was handling approximately 5 billion parcels annually, driven by the ongoing rise in e-commerce popularity.

This increasing number of deliveries means more delivery vehicles on the road and all the emissions that come with them. In this blog we’ll take a look at this last leg of the shipping process, breaking down last mile delivery and how electric vans and other EVs could help increase the sustainability of the delivery costs and save money for fleets.

What is a Last Mile Delivery

Last mile delivery refers to the last step in the creation and delivery process, where the product is transported to the customer. Not only is the last mile delivery a huge influencer of customer satisfaction but it is also the most costly step of the shipping process, both in terms of money and time.

This is because, compared to earlier steps in the shipping process that might see large quantities of a product shipped in bulk from one stop to the next, the last mile deliveries are more often comprised of more stops but a lower drop size.

In addition, the nature of last mile deliveries having to visit a variety of locations and often in suburban areas means that they are not very efficient on fuel consumption. Housing estates, cul-de-sacs and other suburban street set ups means a high fuel consumption compared to long haul trips that are spent largely on motorways and a-roads and at steady speeds.

Not only does this lower rate of fuel efficiency have a negative impact on fleet finances, but it is also detrimental to the environment, particularly since online shopping has increased so drastically since the coronavirus pandemic and the increase of home working.

So, what can be done to improve cost efficiency and reduce environmental impact of the last mile?

Last mile delivery tracking

Last mile carrier tracking provides customers with real-time updates on their shipment’s location through a last mile delivery software, helping them better anticipate its arrival. 

For companies, it highlights gaps along the delivery route, ensuring timely deliveries while minimising costs. 

By integrating telematics, businesses can further optimise delivery efficiency by monitoring vehicle performance and route conditions.

How to improve last mile delivery: EVs last mile delivery

Electric vehicles have been growing in number in the UK with 530,000 battery-electric cars and 405,000 plug-in hybrid cars now on the roads. This also accounts for an increasing number of last mile delivery vehicles, which is undoubtedly a step in the right direction for sustainable delivery.

Last mile delivery costs

With last mile delivery being the most costly leg of the delivery process, innovations that reduce spending are always welcome. Last mile delivery journeys are convoluted in comparison to long-haul trips, meaning they are more consumptive of fuel with more varied speeds and an increased amount of stopping and starting.

Electric vehicles are better suited for more inefficient driving like that in urban areas firstly because the cost is often lower to recharge EVs than to refill their combustion engine counterparts.

Regenerative braking is the next feature that makes these types of vehicles a great urban area and last mile vehicle.

What is regenerative braking?

Regenerative braking is the repurposing of all the kinetic energy otherwise lost when a moving vehicle brakes, putting that energy back into the battery. It takes the energy from the friction produced from the pressing together of the brake pads and brake discs that would usually be wasted in a combustion engine vehicle and reuses it, elevating an EVs mileage.

Vehicles that travel in a lot of urban areas, like most last mile electric vans and cars, will frequently be braking for junctions, roundabouts, and crossings. All of these are opportunities to add charge to the EV battery, providing extra mileage for the day’s deliveries.

Last mile delivery challenges

Whilst the range of EVs is ever increasing and we are seeing more and more long-range EVs on the market, last mile delivery will still benefit from being able to apply shorter range EVs to the task. Whilst we are more regularly seeing EVs with 200 miles range and more, this sort of mileage capability is not necessarily something last mile electric vans need.

Of course, there are some last mile delivery drivers that will be travelling longer distances in the course of a day, but they are likely to be those operating in more rural areas.

Sustainable last mile delivery

There is no understating the value of reducing emissions for any journey. With home deliveries set to add £20 billion to the UK economy by 2025, last mile deliveries need to step up to sustainable expectation to ensure this increase in online shopping has minimal connotations for the environment.

Electric delivery vehicles help to negate what could be harsh impact on the environment by providing the public and businesses with their goods with a significantly decreased carbon output. The CO2 saving of an electric vehicle compared to a petrol one will depend on the make of the car as well as where it is being driven; nonetheless, EVs still offer lower CO2 emissions than their combustion engine counterparts.

Wondering how to start transitioning your fleet of delivery vehicles to EVs? Check out our EV hub, where you’ll find a range of support from reducing your charging costs to help with setting up charging points.

 

Delivery fleet EV charging

Transitioning a delivery fleet to electric vehicles (EVs) requires a well-planned charging infrastructure to ensure efficiency and reduce downtime. Here are some key considerations:

EV delivery van charging infrastructure

Installing EV charging points at fleet depots is essential. Depending on fleet size, a mix of slow and fast chargers may be needed. Fast chargers (22kW or more) are ideal for minimising charging time between deliveries.

EV delivery van charging management systems

Fleet operators should use smart charging systems to manage electricity usage, monitor charge levels, and schedule off-peak charging to reduce energy costs.

Public EV delivery charging networks

For fleets that operate beyond depots, having access to reliable public charging stations is critical. Establishing partnerships with charging network providers can offer drivers a seamless charging experience.

EV delivery van cost savings

While initial infrastructure investments can be high, EV fleets benefit from lower operational costs over time, including fuel savings and reduced maintenance expenses.

EV delivery van sustainability

EV delivery fleets contribute to lower emissions, supporting sustainability goals. Additionally, many governments offer incentives and grants for businesses investing in fleet electrification and charging infrastructure.

Efficient EV charging management can significantly enhance the performance and cost-effectiveness of an electric delivery fleet.

 

Last mile delivery solutions with Fuel Card Services

The future of last mile deliveries requires businesses to be “more agile in adjusting to market trends, maintaining an openness towards learning and reinvention, and promoting a newfound flexibility as a baseline for the transport industry.” according to Lee Spratt, CEO of DHL E-commerce.

If your last mile delivery business is looking to make the change to an EV delivery van. We can help prepare you with EV charging or an EV charge card.

Please contact us today for further information.