NORTHBROOK, IL - Donlen, a fleet leasing and management company, announced the results of its latest survey: Plug-In Electric Vehicle Survey. The brief survey was designed to better understand fleet managers' future use and application of plug-in electrics. Outlined below are a few of the key findings.

"Plug-in electric vehicles are a viable option to help companies reduce carbon and cost. However, our GreenKey survey showed that more than 60 percent of respondents felt they did not have the necessary data to make an informed decision," said Dan Hannan, Donlen's senior vice president of strategic consulting & environmental solutions. "That's why Donlen built a dynamic tool — the Electric Vehicle Cost Calculator — to help our customers understand the opportunity and potential fit within their organization."

Key Findings

Nearly 65 percent of respondents responded "not likely" to purchase a plug-in electric vehicle, and the majority of respondents prefer a hybrid vehicle over plug-in hybrids and plug-in electrics. Most fleets currently were not focused on the use of plug-in electric vehicles due to a lack of data available for fleet to make a decision regarding their use.

Other areas of concern were cost, limited driving range per charge, fit for fleet application or load capacity, and battery life, among others. 98 percent of respondents stated they would only order 0-25 plug-in electric vehicles within the next year.

Those who did see a plug-in electric vehicle as a potential opportunity responded that they considered the plug-in electric as a way to reduce operating costs and emissions, improve corporate image, and decrease dependence on foreign oil. Thirty-five percent of respondents saw a plug-in electric vehicle as a good fit for sales application drivers, with 25 percent of respondents targeting service drivers. More than 25 percent of respondents would target the Midwest region as the starting point for the use of plug-in electric, while the majority would consider multiple regions. More than 46 percent of respondents would charge their electric vehicles at an office location and 33 percent would charge their vehicles at home.

Ultimately, the majority of respondents did not see the plug-in electric to be a short-term solution. The lack of data surrounding operating cost, emissions, vehicle specifications, pricing, resale values, and fuel efficiency cloud the potential benefits.

Electric Vehicle Cost Calculator

To assist fleets in making decisions around the use of plug-in electric vehicles, Donlen GreenKey built the Electric Vehicle Cost Calculator (EVCC). Taking into consideration the costs associated with operating a plug-in electric vehicle (electricity, battery charging time, range, battery efficiency, maintenance, etc.) the EVCC can help fleets understand both operating costs and environmental impact of an electric vehicle.

For more information about the survey, the Electric Vehicle Cost Calculator, or any of the services offered by Donlen GreenKey consultants, contact Chelsea Mathis at (847) 412-4965, via email at cmathis@donlen.com, or visit www.donlengreenkey.com.

About Donlen Corporation
Donlen, with headquarters in Northbrook, IL, offices nationwide, and strategic global partnerships, is a leading provider of innovative fleet management programs. Since 1965, Donlen has offered its clients highly personalized and responsive customer service. Donlen has been recognized as one of Crain's Chicago Business "List of 20 Best Places to Work in Chicago" for 2009 and 2010, National Association for Business Resources "101 Best and Brightest Places to Work For in Chicago" in 2007-2010, a "Top 100 Global Outsourcing Leader" by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) each year from 2006-2009, and a Stevie Award Finalist as "Most Innovative Company" in 2010. For more information about Donlen visit www.donlen.com.