Donlen Announces Plug-in Electric Vehicle Survey Results And Launches New Cost Calculator

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Donlen recently announced the results for their Plug-in Electric Vehicle Survey.  The survey was designed to better understand fleet managers’ future use and application of plug-in electrics.

"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."

• 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. Ninety-eight 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 precent of respondents would charge their electric vehicles at an office location with 33 percent charging 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.

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.