Select your fleet

Fleet vehicle selection

Apply your tried and tested rules of fleet vehicle selection, along with a couple of new concepts, to select an EV fleet.

What types of electric vehicles are available today?

The number of electric vehicles on the market is growing. Most manufacturers now have EV offerings. They range from standard five-seat saloons or hatchbacks to 7 seater vehicles. Vehicle specifications vary with comfort levels from modest to luxury.

• Vehicle category M1 (cars). New models are regularly announced across a wide range of manufacturers
• Category N1 vehicles (vans up to 3.5 tonnes). Available across some manufacturers
• Category N2 vehicles (3.5 to 12 tonnes). Offered in small numbers

Electric vans

Small to medium size electric vans also come in a variety of makes, models and configurations. Short and long wheel base options as well as standard and high roof vehicles. Some models are available with crew cab configurations.

Key considerations

When deciding on a new vehicle, many of the considerations are the same. These are some of the key considerations with electric vehicles.

Driving range

The key difference between internal combustion and electric vehicles is the driving range. As electric vehicle driving ranges have increased, a single charge can now cover all the standard travel requirements of a fleet user. 

The type of route the vehicle will encounter is a good indicator of suitability. If driving distances are quite stable across the week or month then it's straightforward to understand if an EV is suitable.

Driving pattern and charging

Further considerations include your driving pattern and where your vehicle will be charged. If you have a base location where vehicles are parked at night, this is ideal for overnight charging. If your vehicles are not brought back to a base location they will need to be charged by the public network or by employees on their home charger.

Find out more about charging an electric fleet.

Load dimensions and weight

The load dimensions and weight are also important as heavy loads can affect the driving range.

• Modest loads are easy to handle in most electric vehicle models.
• Larger loads may limit your choice of models. Yet a number of larger electric vehicles have come to market or are due.

We recommend you trial a vehicle before purchasing. This will give you the opportunity to assess the real life driving ranges under you workplace conditions.

End of life requirements

Vehicle manufacturers and distributors have a responsibility for battery recycling. All vehicles eligible for SEAI grants require that the distributor adhere to the requirements under the WEEE scheme. However, this is a long way down the road.

There is a lot of life in an electric vehicle and its battery before it reaches this point. And when a battery does reach its end of useful life, around 70% state of health, it still has much residual value.