Electric vehicles and their associated infrastructure are beginning to cement themselves as part of our motoring landscape, and many business fleets are leading the way in adopting both full EVs and plug-in hybrids on a large scale, having realised the financial and environmental benefits that they can achieve by doing so.
Some employers remain unconvinced, or are perhaps unaware of whether the range of EVs currently available are suitable for their fleet’s operation. On a personal level, drivers may be unfamiliar with the capabilities of modern EV technology, and are being prevented from considering an EV due to concerns about battery range and charging infrastructure.
As the leading provider of eco-driving training aimed at helping drivers to save fuel, IAM RoadSmart has become the first to offer an EV Familiarisation training course, accredited and subsidised by the Energy Saving Trust. The course combines on-road training in established eco-driving techniques adapted for use in EVs and plug-in hybrids, with familiarisation training designed to give drivers the knowledge that will help them to get the best out of the vehicle.
WLTP Challenge
Bringing their long-standing MPG Marathon event bang up-to-date, on 10 October 2019 Fleet World will be running their inaugural WLTP Challenge. The event brings together some of the latest vehicles from several manufacturers, representing a range of different power plants, and aims to find out how well they perform in comparison with their official WLTP efficiency figures when driven in real-world conditions.
As the event’s training sponsor, we’ve been helping some of the participants to develop the driving techniques they’ll need to get the best out of their vehicles, including petrol/diesel and electric vehicles.
The results of the WLTP Challenge will be published in the November edition of Fleet World magazine, and will be in interesting read for any businesses looking to answer some important questions about their future vehicle choices. We’re confident that the drivers taking part in the event will be able to use the techniques they’ve learned to achieve excellent efficiency figures, while driving safely and keeping up with the prevailing traffic conditions, irrespective of vehicle type.
For any fleet managers currently considering making the move to an electrified fleet, but unsure about these vehicles’ true capabilities, or struggling to get buy-in from drivers, now is the perfect time to try our EV Familiarisation course. The strength of the EST’s subsidy, supported by IAM RoadSmart’s charity status, means we are currently offering the course free of charge to all public and private sector business drivers, including grey fleet.
