Using and analysing data is “business critical” for operators and managers in the transition to electrified fleets, a panel at the Fleet Electrification Forum has said.
Speaking on the issue of the evolving role of the fleet manager, led by Paul Hollick, Chairman of the Association of Fleet Professionals, Director – Fleet Manager at Openreach, Judy O’Keefe said that “data was absolute gold dust”.
She added: “Anyone who has not started this journey, look at the data. And don’t worry about it being perfect.
“With the journey, you need to take a holistic view and the whole ecosystem.”
James Ferrol, Head of Mobility and Energy at the RSPB, added that he was also a “data evangelist”, and “if you don’t have a grip on your data, how can you say that you have an operational grip?”
Michael Braybrook, MD of Zaptec UK, added that alongside the data it was important to consider whether the chargers were delivering what was being claimed, which would then ensure that the data being collected was accurate.
O’Keefe also said that fleet managers should offer incentives for their drivers, and at Openreach, when offering a voucher for those who were home charging “we had engineers who didn’t have a driveway suddenly discovering they had a driveway”.
Adding to the conversation, DPD Sustainability Manager Paul Herring said that as time has gone along, it has become easier to make the case for electric vehicles.
He said: “In the beginning, it used to be more than one EV to replace an ICE vehicle. Now it is one for one in terms of payload.
“They are also cheaper now, so it is an easier conversation to have. But you’ve got to make sure you have the infrastructure in place.”
Ferrol also highlighted the example where he gave an EV to an employee during the winter, so they are “pleasantly surprised” at the performance, against the potential misinformation about EVs during the cold weather.
