for fleets

the possibility that a step change in battery technology could cause substantial harm to residual values (RVs) on existing EVs.

“This data clearly demonstrates how much progress has been made in reducing pollutant emissions across all vehicle types, but also shows where the largest emitters lie. This report provides insightful analysis which policymakers can leverage to improve air quality not only across cities in Scotland, but in other countries as well,” says Yoann Bernard, senior researcher at the ICCT and a co-author of this report.

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LeasePlan launches new dashboard timer for better charging etiquette

Future advances in battery technology could represent a double-edged sword for fleets, FleetCheck is warning.

With recent press reports suggested that major advances could potentially be on the way, this could cause substantial harm to residual values (RVs) on existing EVs, believes Peter Golding, managing director of FleetCheck.

Peter says: “We’ve reached a stage in the last few years where any improvements in the range, charging speed and durability of electric vehicles (EVs) are generally expected to be incremental, with questions of core battery technology largely settled.

“However, it looks as though step changes might still be possible, with recent announcements on Toyota’s solid state designs, CATL talking about doubling energy density, Mullen Automotive improving battery management and more.

“On one hand, these are good news. Anything that makes EVs more practical is to be welcomed, especially in the van and commercial vehicle sector where existing technology is presenting fleets with tricky issues but it also creates problems.”

Chief among these, Peter explained was

“A manufacturer who has access to better batteries is going to want to make them available as soon as possible in order to gain a competitive market advantage but this is going to affect EVs already in use. It won’t render them obsolete but it could make them much less attractive, especially if the new tech is not just more effective but cheaper, which is conceivable.

“It’s not impossible that a business could buy 100 EVs today and then, a couple of years later, see their value dramatically affected. RVs are unlikely to collapse completely – these will still be practical, attractive vehicles for some used buyers – but there could be major reductions.

“This would have a substantial impact on leasing companies too, of course, who are already being very conservative in their EV future forecasts thanks to the quite dramatic drop in values seen over the last year. Buying EVs and bearing the RV risk remains a risky business.

“It seems to us that there is no way around this situation. EVs are still a relatively new technology in a mass market sense and step changes in technology are very much a possibility but any advances will probably be a double edged sword and fleets need to factor that into their decision making.”

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LeasePlan UK has launched a new dashboard timer for its EV customers to help improve wait times and driver communication at public charging stations. The dashboard timer, named ‘Happy Charger’, will encourage better charging etiquette by giving chargepoint users an easy means of telling other EV drivers how long they think they’ll be by setting an estimated time of completion using the timer wheel, which they can then display on their dashboard. The launch follows the recent move by Aberdeen and Sheffield city councils to charge drivers who stay too long in EV chargepoints. More local authorities are expected to follow suit in a bid to cut down long queues caused by the growing number of EV registrations. Commenting on the launch, Neill Emmett, head of marketing at LeasePlan UK, said: “As we learn the new process of EV charging, there are a few important etiquette rules we all need to follow, particularly when charging in public.

“Our new Happy Charger dashboard timer is all about giving EV drivers greater peace of mind when they’re out and about and simplifying the charging experience. There’s a great sense of comradery within the EV-driving community, so by adding that extra layer of transparency we can ensure we’re all being considerate of one another and enhancing the experience for all.”

All LeasePlan UK customers who lease an EV will receive a Happy Charger in their driver pack.

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