When setting up an electrification plan, all assets are not created equal. While the lack of medium and heavy-duty EVs in production require electrification efforts to be focused on light-duty assets in the fleet, the use-case of a light-duty asset can vary wildly even within the same organization. Some vehicles may be relied on for frequent short-range trips, while others are expected to travel long distances for many days at a time. Some vehicles may be shared between operational locations, or taken home by their drivers at shift end. In order to maintain operations, it is crucial for fleet managers not only to identify which assets can be electrified but also to understand whether an EV replacement can actually do the work that is needed by the organization.

1. Identify Electrification Targets

When an organization in the early stages of the electrification process wants to add a new electric asset to their fleet, it is prudent to use a like-for-like replacement strategy. This process aims to identify aging ICE assets that have comparable electric counterparts on the market and electrify those assets according to the typical vehicle replacement process that the organization already uses. This process minimizes the disruption that EV implementations can have on long-term vehicle replacement plans and avoids offloading assets that have not reached end-of-life.

However, not all aging assets are good electrification targets. Sometimes, vehicles are relied upon to take trips with extremely long-range or extended duration – these vehicles cannot easily be replaced by electric units. Telemetry data can provide a framework to identify which assets can most easily be electrified. By examining metrics like average daily mileage or typical trip length and duration, data from telematics devices can highlight those assets whose duties an EV can capably perform.

2. Find Viable EV Replacements

Once electrification targets have been identified, there is still work to be done. Fleets must be able to objectively evaluate new vehicles to determine how to purchase the units that provide the most efficient value for their organization. Naturally, vehicle replacement strategies are often focused on the capability of the vehicles being purchased. EVs must have sufficient range, be able to effectively haul required loads, and be able to stay in the field as long as necessary without needing to return to the charger in order to maintain fleet operations. Developing a confident, data-driven electrification plan relies on being able to obtain and evaluate this information before making a vehicle purchase. Unfortunately, this information can be hard to find and even harder to trust, especially when it most often comes directly from the manufacturer. One of the goals of the Electric Vehicle Consortium is to expose EV capability, so that purchasing decisions can be made objectively, using real on-the-ground data to evaluate EV performance.

3. Select Appropriate Chargers

As electric vehicles become more capable, fleets are finding that a proper electrification plan means shopping for more than just vehicles. The quality of charging infrastructure matters more than ever. Properly selecting and utilizing charging infrastructure can be a major differentiator between effective electrification plans and costly operations changes. Legacy infrastructure from early electric adoption can struggle to provide the necessary power to new-generation EVs. So-called “dumb” chargers can make decision-making and data gathering nearly impossible. Brand new fast-charging technologies may require major renovations to existing infrastructure in order to access advertised charging speeds.

Amidst all these complexities, it is important to remember what the charger you are purchasing will be needed for. While high-powered “fast-chargers” offer the most efficient path for getting vehicles back on the road quickly, they are much more expensive and in many cases unnecessary. Many fleet vehicles charge overnight, and have plenty of time to fully replace battery energy without the need for fast-charging technologies. Making an informed decision on what type of charger will be needed for your operation can get complicated, but there are tools that can help so that you only pay for what you need. Telematics data can show how much of the time that a vehicle spends at the charger is actually spent charging, and how long it takes to charge a vehicle for normal day-to-day use. Closely examining charging data will help solidify when and where charger installations need to be faster or more efficient in your operation.

Moving Forward with Confidence

Electrifying a fleet is more than just swapping out vehicles—it’s about making informed, data-driven decisions that ensure operational efficiency and long-term success. By identifying the right assets for electrification, selecting EV replacements based on real-world performance data, and investing in the appropriate charging infrastructure, fleet managers can navigate the transition with confidence. The future of fleet electrification will only become more complex as technology evolves and medium and heavy-duty EVs enter the market. Organizations that embrace data-driven strategies today will be well-positioned to optimize costs, maintain productivity, and future-proof their operations for the next wave of electrification.