Are electrics vehicles really an option for business use?

Andrew Yeoman, the Managing Director at
Trimble UK said in his recent blog (http://www.trimblemediaeurope.com/blog/4560012387):

“The recent launch of the Hiriko electronic car has propelled
electric vehicles into the limelight once again. These new funky,
zero-emissions cars are not only environmentally friendly but also claim to be
a ‘social innovation’! The idea being that local authorities owns a fleet of
Hiriko cars and rent one to people when they need it – for a small fee. This
makes them ideal in large cities where limited mileage is covered and charging
points are plentiful. But are these or indeed any electric vehicle really of
any use in the business world?

Would the average businessman or woman use these cars to drive up and down the
motorway to attend meetings or to load up the boot with the tools and equipment
they need to do their jobs out on the road? Probably not today.

While electric vehicles are wonderful in terms of green credentials, in
reality at the moment they can be expensive and impractical for those doing
significant miles.

Take for example a typical field or service engineer, for argument sake lets
say a printer engineer. They travel an average of 500 miles per week, carrying
5kgs of equipment plus, in many cases, a spare printer adding another 35kgs. An
electric car would be totally unviable for them due to current vehicle range
and battery life.

The manufacturers manual states that they’d have to charge their vehicle
every 50-75 miles but with a lack of charging points across the country, it
would be impossible for the engineers to reliably get from appointment to
appointment.

And of course, lets not forget that electronic vehicles cost between
£10-15,000 more than a ‘normal’ petrol/diesel car.

So what’s the answer? It’s clear electric vehicles aren’t yet suitable for
the business world but macro hybrid vehicles are. They don’t cost the earth but
with their combined electric and internal combustion engine they will help save
the earth. They can be filled up at any service station or charged where a
point is available saving an average of 20% on annual fuel costs. They are now
a viable option for businesses and could be the first step in paving the way
for electric vehicles to offer the same value in the future.

Wonderful Nissan Leaf: