Some 58% would consider sharing their van charging infrastructure with others to make electrification more practical, a new survey for the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) has revealed.
The research shows 62% would consider co-operative agreements with other fleets to allow mutual access to depot infrastructure and 58% their public facilities, with the demand for arrangements of this type considered most appropriate for businesses operating in Scotland, the West Midlands and the South West.
Current charging infrastructure is a barrier to electrification for 65% of fleets when it comes to depots and 49% in a home scenario, the research shows, with the largest cost impediments coming from charger installation, connection, hardware and energy.
Paul Hollick, chair at the AFP, said: “The subject of shared charging is being discussed more and more across our organisation and is increasingly seen as a way forward for solving the issue of limited infrastructure. Potentially, providing mutual access to charging could mean van fleets will be able to access power in areas where there is limited public charging in place or where energy prices are high for the chargers that are available.
“There are, of course, problems to solve, such as the mechanism for payment and a process of booking access to individual chargers, but these appear to be far from insoluble and could provide a valuable part of the charging options available to van fleet operators in the future. The research shows that there is a genuine interest in the subject.”
Image from Shutterstock
