A record number of fleets are being turned into ‘zero emission heroes’ as enquiries and orders for electric vehicles rocket at Reflex Vehicle Hire.
At one recent event, 80% of van fleet enquiries received by Reflex included requests for information about plug-in cars and vans, while more than half of all non-rate card requests since May have been for pure electric vehicles.
Demand is driven by the impending government ban on the sale of fossil-fuelled cars and vans, which will be phased in from 2030, and soaring prices at the pumps.
This has created a ‘tipping point’ as fleets and drivers move from interest in EVs to actively procuring them.
Reflex is leading the charge to a new fuel future, with recent deliveries including a batch of Mercedes-Benz eVito zero-emission vans, along with a fleet of Kia e-Niros to customers throughout the UK.
Fleets are able to make a rapid switch by using flexible hire, which gives companies access to zero-emission motoring without incurring the substantial costs of purchase, or the long-term commitment of leasing.
To ensure there are no hidden shocks for customers, Reflex is deploying EV:IE (Electric Vehicle Information Exchange), the unique fleet evaluation service that provides detailed wholelife cost comparisons between fossil fuel fleets and their EV equivalents.
Total cost of ownership analysis includes recharging costs and compares EV range to current mileage patterns, based on fleet and telematics data. It has revealed that some companies could already transition their entire fleet to EVs, based on current usage and range of available models.
In addition, the Reflex Renewable Drive vehicle evaluation programme has enabled fleet managers to get behind the wheel of the latest electric cars and vans to inform their strategic decision-making.
While supporting the transition to electric vehicles, Reflex remains committed to providing safety-first vehicle hire, so all vans are equipped with the award-winning Driive with Reflex modular risk management service, including the latest dashcam and telematics technology that has successfully reduced incident rates for fleets nationwide.
Lisa Spong, Reflex Vehicle Hire sales director, said: “While diesel continues to be the mainstay of many of the van fleets that we provide vehicles to, interest in electric vehicles has reached a tipping point, with soaring demand driven by government policy, and rising fuel costs.
“We are working closely with fleet customers to ensure a smooth transition strategy without impacting their core business operations. In particular, we make sure companies maintain the fundamentals of a safe and efficient fleet as they switch, so they extract the maximum potential benefits from the introduction of electric vehicles.”