Improve your operations and margins with fleet charging management

When done right, fleet charging management gives fleet operators more charging data and, therefore, more power to make valuable and manageable changes at scale, leading to greater operational efficiency and increased margins.

Environmentally and financially sustainable mobility isn’t just about investing in the right vehicles or meeting emissions targets. Practically for fleet operators, it’s about making sure your vehicles are charged when you need them, your drivers aren’t inconvenienced and your operating costs don’t rack up—think about high-tariff charging sessions and multiple charging app subscriptions.

EV charging management software solves these issues for fleet operators, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the number of tools, modules and technical specs on offer. These are all important, but it’s also good to zoom out and understand how fleet charging management can realistically improve operations for those doing the driving, planning and (often) worrying.  

The cost of getting fleet charging wrong

If you’re new to EVs, it’s easy to assume charging is the simple bit. But in reality, there’s more to consider than you think. For instance:

1. Sometimes, your drivers may not be ready for a full day of driving if they forget to charge at home overnight or are unable to reach your depot charging stations before running out of hours.  

2. There’s often an overreliance on public charging from fleets, which is usually more expensive compared to home or depot charging. And that’s before you consider how unreliable public stations can be in terms of cost and availability, thanks to peak hours and fluctuating energy prices.  

Avoiding these situations requires actionable insights from a single data source and some friendly reminders handily delivered to your phone.

On the bureaucratic side of things, relying on manual charging records can be asking for trouble.

1. You end up creating data chaos: think about email chains, confusingly named invoices and duplicate documents that make home session reimbursements a nightmare for your company accounts.

2. Drivers become fed up with waiting for money to drop back into their bank accounts, while charge cards, subscriptions and apps add extra complexity to reimbursements and accounting—all in a job that, in reality, should be more about the driving and less about frustrating digital experiences.  

So what? As a fleet operator in charge of multiple vehicles, you’re laying out more than you should for charging, your drivers are getting frustrated and your vehicles aren’t always where they need to be. That means lost time, lost money and missed contractual obligations, not to mention the reputational hit if end-customer deliveries or callouts are late.

It’s time to stop running your fleet charging operation like a chaotic IT project.

Charging truths you can’t ignore

Fleet operators without the right EV charging management software should understand that, right now, there’s probably a gigantic blind spot when it comes to charging data simply because you’re choosing not to bring your home, depot and public charging data together.  

If you’re not managing the records of all three locations using a single system, you’re in the dark about what’s being charged, where and what it’s costing. How can you improve upon these numbers when they’re not available to you in the first place?

Public charging is relatively expensive and unreliable, depot charging stations can get congested and drivers often avoid home charging unless you make it worth their while.  

The right EV charging management software can identify the best times and places to charge so your operation runs in a cost-efficient manner. Data-backed suggestions take into account the flow of your drivers’ routes, charging preferences and overall business goals to help fleet operators reduce downtime and drivers avoid high-tariff charging locations.

“Fleet vehicles often require charging at home, work and public stations. This fragmented charging ecosystem introduces logistical complexity while increasing downtime and cost variability.”

— Russell Olive, UK Business Development Director at vaylens

Fleet operators should know when any vehicle in their fleet has is charging, how much it costs and the likelihood of downtime caused by charging station issues at their own depot. Continuing to take a chance on faulty public stations, depot congestion and unattractive energy tariffs isn’t sustainable.

Home charging is where the savings are if you manage it properly

Home charging is usually the cheapest and cleanest option. However, fleet operators can’t benefit if drivers aren’t incentivised to use it because they don’t trust messy manual reimbursement flows that stop them from being paid back accurately and on time.

Encouraging home charging becomes the new cost-saving norm with EV charging management software. Drivers can reduce their reliance on public stations since they can trust fair and clear accounting when being automatically reimbursed for home energy use.  

This means fleet operators reduce their overall charging costs, drivers are no longer left wound-up by slow reimbursements and manual admin vanishes. Reliable home charging also creates more charging space at the depot for emergency cases.

Extra admin makes fleet charging management even more stressful

For fleet managers, manually creating reports, tracking invoices and constantly contacting drivers about charging adds a mental load that makes the job more stressful than it can already be. If your software isn’t doing the heavy lifting or your entire network of drivers and their charging records are managed by just a few employees, you’re not running an EV fleet; you’re barely making ends meet.  

Choosing software that works with your existing fleet management tools, automates billing and strategically uses dynamic energy pricing for session scheduling should be your first port of call for relieving the day-to-day stress of fleet management and driving.

What does smart fleet charging management look like?

Fleet management is more than a sleek digital platform that gives you an overview of your fleet vehicles’ location, charging sessions, and costs.  

1. It’s your home, depot and public charging data centralised in a single platform, giving you immediate access to the status of your vehicles and depot charging network.

2. It’s automatic reimbursement, reporting, contracts, billing processes and more that get rid of awkward emails, inaccurate records and late invoicing.

3. It’s actionable insights and reports about fleet performance delivered straight to fleet managers and other key decision makers.

In short, EV charging management software is business savvy and peace of mind rolled into one. Why wouldn’t you want to encourage home charging with fair and timely energy reimbursements, or know when and where is the best time to charge for each and every vehicle?  

Yes, keeping your fleet vehicles charged and ready to go using the most cost- and time-efficient locations and tariffs is a balancing act. But EV charging management software doesn’t need a break.

And in case you’re busy at the office or on a delivery, automated alerts for proactive charging reminders and automated reports are there to give you a gentle reminder and help keep your operation moving.

Starting a conversation about fleet charging management

Realising lower operating costs, enhanced driver convenience and more satisfied end-customers starts with having conversations. Start by talking with your drivers about the benefits of charging at home and how they can be quickly reimbursed, or with public charging networks to create partnerships that result in lower tariffs for your fleet.  

The more you speak about fleet charging management options, the more you’ll realise what the right piece of EV charging management software can do. If you’ve ever asked yourself how you can optimise your entire fleet’s charging sessions, whether having charging at your depot is worth it or how to remind drivers to charge at home, vaylens can give you the exact advice for your situation.

Choosing the right fleet charging management software

Managing a network of vehicles and charging stations comes with complications you may not have even considered. It’s time to treat your charging operation as an integral part of your business and revenue stream—not just a line in your annual budget.

Get in touch with one of our fleet experts to understand how vaylens can take your current fleet operation and create a smoother, more sustainable setup.  

Want to get a feel for the platform first? Take a look at our free interactive demo.