With members reporting increasing time dedicated to managing electric vehicle (EV) charging, that chore is replacing maintenance as the most burdensome day-to-day task facing many fleet managers, according to the U.K.-based Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).

"In the last few years, maintenance has been the main everyday issue facing fleet managers. The fleet car and van parks have been aging at a fairly rapid pace while workshop capacity has been stretched and parts availability has been patchy,” AFP Chair Paul Hollick observed.

“However, we now seem to be in a position where charging is taking over and there’s a wide variety of reasons for this,” he pointed out. “It’s not an exaggeration to say that charging is becoming the new maintenance in terms of the huge amount of attention it demands.”

Accessiblity, Waiting Times Top Issues

Among a wide range of issues, the most vexing problems are experienced by businesses with EV fleets whose drivers lack access to home or depot charging, said Hollick.

Accessibility to charging stations when needed, waiting times, and station bays large enough for electric vans are difficulties highlighted by fleet managers.

“Ticking these three boxes on a day-to-day basis is proving demanding for many of our members at this point in time,” Hollick said.

A fourth factor, according to Hollick, are charging costs, which can be excessive, particularly on motorways.

Currently these EV charging obstacles are consequences of underdeveloped infrastructure likely to persist for several years, Hollick cautioned. “We don’t necessarily see life getting much easier for fleets and their drivers in the medium term.”

Reimbursement Poses Difficulties

Other EV charging issues arise even when EV users use their own charging connections.

“For example, reimbursement is proving an issue, especially with the Advisory Electric Rate (AER) remaining too low for the majority of EVs and the actual cost alternative being quite difficult to calculate,” Hollick explained.

The U.K. government’s AER for plug-in cars is 9 pence (about $1.17) per mile.)

Technical solutions are being developed for cost reimbursement of home. However, said Hollick, where rates being paid, especially with low AER rates for the majority of EVs, businesses are searching for fairer solutions.

Still another issue is the question of who should pay for installation of home charges. However, Hollick pointed out, credible figures have been quoted “showing that the cost can be recouped by employers in a matter of a few months through the savings in charging costs, so that decision should be relatively easy.