news

Fleet operators looking to go electric – survey

A small study indicates fleets are looking to go green, but more research is still required on the topic.


Fleet operators are starting to take notice of electric vehicles, as the range of affordable battery-powered cars offered in Australia starts to expand, according to a small survey carried out on fleet operators.

The poll of 60 fleet operators, conducted by the Australian Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), says 50 per cent are looking to include more electric vehicles within the next two years, with a further 38 per cent suggesting their fleets would include more within the next three months.

The survey was conducted after an industry drive day at Albert Park, where fleet operators were able to sample a range of the vehicles on sale in Australia at the moment, and some of those arriving soon.

“We see fleet buyers and managers as having a critical role to play in accelerating the switch to electric vehicles," said Ian Learmonth, CEFC CEO.

"They have strong purchasing power, which can help drive down costs. With their focus on operational efficiency and cost, they can also help demonstrate the benefits of electric vehicles compared with diesel and petrol-powered engines."

“Our survey provides a small but important snapshot of buyer intentions. Our goal is to see this extended right across the fleet sector and beyond, as owners and drivers become more familiar with the potential of electric vehicles," he added.

When Learmonth says it was a "small" snapshot of potential buyers, he means it. There were 60 people at the drive day, with the majority running fleets larger than 250 vehicles. A third had fleets of 50-250 vehicles, but the sample is small enough that further research needs to be done for a truly representative of the Australian fleet.

According to the CEFC, there are around 19,000 fleets in Australia operating fleets with more than 20 vehicles, representing around 2.1 million vehicles.

Chat with us!







Chat with Agent