A move to electric vehicles (EVs) has been well received by employees, according to the UK facilities management and professional services contractor Mitie.
Some 91pc of Mitie’s EV drivers are saying they’re glad they switched. The results also showed that drivers would encourage more people to follow in their footsteps, with around nine in ten saying that they would recommend switching to their friends and family (89pc) and colleagues (92pc).
Some 267 Mitie fleet drivers that have received their electric vehicle and 65 employees who are waiting for their EV to be delivered were surveyed, earlier this month; just over a year after the FM firm began its electric vehicle rollout. In the firm’s second fleet driver survey. employees on the waiting list for an EV were surveyed about their perception of switching to an electric vehicle while EV drivers were asked to share their experiences of driving an EV.
Changing cars can be an adjustment. A majority (63pc) of the drivers waiting for their new electric vehicle have had reservations. However, the research should alleviate these concerns, with over four fifths (82pc) of EV drivers saying they didn’t experience any difficulties when making the switch to electric. For the small number that did have difficulties, the most common issues were related to charge point infrastructure and vehicle model availability.
When asked what they like about their EV, drivers said financial savings came top (with 24pc of responses), then followed by reducing their impact on the environment (22pc). The benefits of the car itself are also cited, with the vehicles’ technology features (16pc) and an improved driving experience (15pc) rounding off the four favourite aspects of switching to an EV.
The electric vehicles also seem to be having a halo effect, with nearly nine in ten (88pc) drivers saying that people in their life – friends, family, colleagues and even clients – are now green with envy and want their own electric vehicle. A majority (62pc) would now consider switching their second household vehicle to electric.
In other feedback, when asked if they disliked anything about their electric vehicles, near half (48pc) of EV drivers highlighted public charging, such as a lack of charge points in areas where there’s no off-street parking and problems finding rapid chargers. A fifth (22pc) of EV drivers still said that there’s nothing they dislike about their electric vehicle.
Mitie adds that it has committed to switching 20pc of its car and small van fleet to electric vehicles by 2020 and the rest of its fleet by 2025. The FM contractor has also launched its EV Fleet Transition Service; for companies with green ambitions. what the contractor calls an end-to-end solution, covers at each stage of the EV transition – from vehicle choice to charging infrastructure, to travel policies and maintenance.
Simon King, Director of Sustainability and Social Value, Mitie, said: “It’s fantastic to hear that the feedback from our EV drivers has been overwhelmingly positive, with so many colleagues recommending others switch too. However, what these findings demonstrate once again is that charge point availability remains a barrier for many. With charging infrastructure receiving just a fraction of the investment that is spent on our road network, we now need a national approach with more investment from Government and local authorities – especially for communal and on-street parking.
“With our ambitious fleet transition plan ahead, these findings will be key for us to not only accelerate our own EV strategy, but also share expertise and guidance to help even more businesses that are looking to make the switch.”
