The recipe for electrifying a fleet does not have a single ingredient, as demonstrated during the webinar “ChargeGuru Day: Innovation in home charging for employees”.
Fran Cortegoso, Business Development; Rubén Galindo, Head of Product, Innovation and Propositions at Arval; and Manuel de los Ojos, Country Manager eMobility at Siemens, affirm that what is important is for companies to dare to take the first step.
The reason? The return is quick to arrive.
The question Cortegoso asks a company that is considering renewing its fleet of cars is simple, but key: “The first thing is to know if they already have any electric vehicles or are in the process of deciding.”
Based on this feedback, ChargeGuru evaluates charging solutions for both the office and employee homes.
The next question is if you could “refuel” your car at home and at work, how many times would you go to the gas station?
“Practically never. It is at that point that they begin to realise that this is feasible and easier,” emphasises Business Development.
This process is not immediate, since the most difficult decision is to take the first step.
Rubén Galindo adds that one of the most common obstacles is the perception that electric cars are more expensive.
“It is true that the initial price may be a little higher,” he admits.
And he adds:
“But when you put the numbers on the table and compare the cost of energy versus fossil fuels, coupled with tax breaks and incentives such as the Moves Plan, it is clear that the investment pays off.”
According to the Arval representative, a recurring theme in meetings with companies considering electrifying their fleet is the lack of experience with zero and low emission vehicles.
“67 per cent of the people we surveyed usually give their opinion without having used an electric car,” he explains.
In this context, the company is promoting practical experiences by electrifying its own fleet, thus allowing employees to experience it first-hand.
“It’s the best way to lose your fear ,” he says.
At Siemens, the approach is similar.
Manuel de los Ojos points out that companies that have already adopted this technology become a “tractor” for the rest of the organization and society.
“When companies begin to offer facilities to their employees, they encourage a faster transition to electric mobility,” says the expert.
In its case, Siemens started five years ago with only two chargers at its headquarters and today it has 120 charging points, an infrastructure that is sometimes insufficient due to the high demand of its employees.
As an example, he compares this experience to that of a mobile phone: “You plug it in when you get home or to the office and leave it charging without disrupting your routine.”
In this context, ChargeGuru plays a crucial role, especially in the installation of chargers in homes.
According to Cortegoso, the owner of the parking space does not need to request permits or hold tenders, he simply has to inform the community about the implementation of the device.
No modifications will be made to the employee’s home, as the installation is carried out exclusively in the parking lot.
“The user arrives, connects his car and starts charging, he doesn’t have to do anything else,” says Business Development.
And not only that.
ChargeGuru also manages the separation of the car’s energy consumption from the rest of the household, so employees do not need to worry about additional costs, as the company will reimburse this expense.
Once both companies and their employees overcome initial doubts and see the real benefits of electric mobility, the transition usually accelerates.
According to Arval statistics, less than 10 per cent of electric car users would return to a combustion car.
In this regard, Cortegoso comments: “I am not aware of any workers who are reluctant to make the change to zero-emission vehicles.”
The time that a car remains parked is a key aspect, since these hours can be used to charge it at a low cost, which increases the profitability of this type of mobility.
In addition to the economic aspect, user experience and awareness, environmental benefits have also become a pillar for companies.
For many companies, sustainability is a fundamental part of their strategy and the electric car fits perfectly into that plan.
“This is feasible and many companies are already implementing it,” Fran Cortegoso stresses.
In this regard, ChargeGuru is carrying out various initiatives, such as improving the software to offer more complete and accessible solutions, so that “users feel more comfortable.”
It is also working on aspects related to financing, such as the possibility of offering options in the form of installments.
“Our commitment is to continue improving and simplifying the process even further, in order to eliminate the doubts that exist around our sector,” he concludes.
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