30 Jul Myth #3: Electrification is just a vehicle switch

On paper, electrifying a company car fleet seems simple: swap out petrol or diesel models for electric vehicles (EVs), and you’re done. But in reality, the switch to EVs is not just about vehicle selection. It’s a strategic shift that impacts your entire fleet operation.

And if you’re only focused on the cars themselves, you’re likely missing the bigger picture, and risking avoidable cost, confusion, and friction.

EVs Change More Than You Think

Unlike traditional ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles, EVs bring new considerations into company car management that most fleets aren’t set up to handle from day one.

Here’s what changes:

• Charging strategy
  Your drivers now need reliable, accessible home, workplace, or public charging, and your policies need to support them. Questions around reimbursement, charge point installation, and charging behaviours all come into play.
• Downtime and scheduling
  Charging takes longer than refuelling. If drivers don’t have convenient access to overnight or destination charging, you could see unexpected downtime or productivity dips, especially for job-need users.
• Policy and benefit alignment
  Company car policies often need to be updated to reflect EV-specific variables: range, whole-life cost, taxation, and CO₂ incentives. EVs can be highly attractive in a benefits context, but only with the right support in place.
• Procurement and supply chain
  Lead times, model availability, and total cost of ownership all look different with EVs. A vehicle-first approach often overlooks the supporting ecosystem needed to make electrification successful.
• Energy and data integration
  Electrification ties your fleet decisions to energy strategy, cost recovery, and new streams of data. If that data isn’t centralised and connected, opportunities for optimisation, and warning signs, can go unnoticed.

What Happens Without a Joined-Up Approach?

Too often, businesses make well-intentioned EV decisions without adapting the wider system that supports their fleet. The result?

• Driver complaints and confusion
• Policy mismatches
• Gaps in cost visibility
• Increased admin burden

In short, treating EVs as a simple swap can slow down your strategy and create unnecessary internal friction.

Electrification Is a Fleet Strategy

At Fleetworx, we help companies embed EV adoption into the heart of their fleet plan. That means:

• Assessing your readiness across supply chain, policy, and people
• Ensuring your company car drivers are supported through the transition
• Aligning procurement decisions with total cost and operational fit
• Connecting the data that enables ongoing optimisation

Because for EVs to deliver on their promise, for the business and the driver, they must be treated as part of a broader system, not a standalone initiative.

Ask Yourself…

• Are your company car policies fully adapted for EVs?
• Are your drivers supported with the infrastructure and flexibility they need?
• Are you confident your EV strategy is optimised for total cost and visibility?

Ready to make EVs work strategically? Let’s talk.

Contact Graham Rees to discover more.