– By Mats Dahlstedt, Product Manager Integration at Teletrac Navman –
Corporate fleets play an integral role in Australian businesses. Whether its transporting employees to and from work or assisting with deliveries – fleets help companies around the country operate on a day-to-day basis. However, managing corporate fleets can be difficult with challenges such as high maintenance costs, managing compliance issues, unsustainable fuel usage and everyday safety concerns.
In addition to all this, improving sustainability has become a core target for many Australian businesses, and companies are looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly. While this may seem difficult to achieve as many businesses rely on traditional fuel-based cars to operate, companies can lean on technology to overcome the challenges and increase their sustainability efforts.
Making the switch to an electric fleet
Thanks to advances in technology, cars and other vehicles have become more sustainable over the years – especially since the widespread development and increased adoption of electric cars. Adopting an electric fleet is a great strategy to improve the sustainability of your operations and cut down on maintenance costs at the same time.
While many businesses have been hesitant to purchase electric vehicles (EVs) for their fleet due to high prices, the costs associated with electric vehicles are improving. In September of 2021, the New South Wales government began waiving stamp duty on electric vehicles valued at less than $78,000. In addition to this, the state government has also committed $490 million in the 2022 budget to tax cuts and funding for electric vehicles. These policies are part of an effort by the NSW government to have EVs represent 53 percent of new vehicles sold in NSW by 2030. This, along with policies introduced by other state governments and the growing EV market, indicates that the cost of purchasing an electric car for a corporate fleet will decrease over the next few years.
There are many benefits to making the switch to EVs. The first benefit – and perhaps the most obvious – is that EVs drastically reduce carbon emissions generated by a corporate fleet. If the EV is charged by a renewable source, the vehicle will produce just 6 grams of CO2 per km compared to a traditional car which produces on average 184 grams of CO2 per km.
Not only do EVs help reduce company CO2 emissions, they also improve corporate responsibility and demonstrate that the organisation is both ethical and forward thinking. In addition to this, EVs have a lower operating cost compared to traditional fuel-based cars – allowing for reduced maintenance and fuel costs.
Introduce fleet management software
Another strategy to improve operations and sustainability is through the introduction of fleet management software. Fleet management software can provide a range of services to an organisation including GPS location tracking, fuel usage monitoring, and maintenance record management.
Having a dedicated platform to manage maintenance improves overall vehicle safety and helps businesses comply with industry regulations. Through real-time location data, GPS tracking creates shorter and more detailed route planning – reducing the time and fuel needed for each journey. Management software also provides businesses with a breakdown of carbon emissions and fuel consumption. This, along with GPS tracking, helps managers track fuel and CO2 output – providing an easy way to reduce costs and minimise environmental impact.
Its clear technology is at the forefront of making corporate fleets more operational and sustainable. From the development of electric fleets to vehicle management software, there are multiple solutions available to help you overcome the challenges associated with corporate fleets and help organisations become more sustainable.
In 2021, companies around Australia are more focused on sustainability than ever before, and ensuring your employees move around in a cost effective and environmentally friendly way is an important step to take in 2022 and beyond.
