Company car and van drivers need to be given practical advice on home charging, according to the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
Paul Hollick, chair at the industry body, said that there was often an assumption that drivers would just know how to use their domestic charger – one that was frequently proven wrong.
“In terms of the EV transition, we are seeing a lot of attention given to public charging – to whether it can be easily accessed, its costs, compatibility with apps and so on – but comparatively little is being said about home charging,” he said.
“However, we are hearing from our members that drivers often don’t know much about home charging beyond how to connect their vehicle. It does seem to be an area where parties such as employers, manufacturers, charging providers and organisations such as the AFP need to fill the gap. Simply, knowing a few basics will help drivers to get the most out of their electric car or van, as well as keeping costs low.”
The AFP said the two key areas where advice was needed centred around charging vehicles overnight irrespective of whether it was needed and accessing power at times when it was cheapest.
Hollick said drivers shouldn’t seek to top up their vehicle continually but let the battery run down to the point where it needs charging.
He also spotlighted that charging in the early evening typically costs more and is much better done in the early hours, when it tends to be a lot cheaper and can make a substantial difference to EV running costs.
