Commercial vehicles - Why your fleet should be going electric

An Electric vehicle on your fleet will reduce operational costs and carbon emissions with the added bonus of grants and monetary incentives.

The change to electric vehicles (EV) in Ireland began as a slow and steady growth over the past few years. Increased range capacity, improved access to charging points and the number of financial incentives has seen a rise in drivers making the switch to electric and a rapid rise in the amount of battery charged vehicles on Irish roads. The figures simply just add up. Fuel savings, grants, and the ecological need to reduce carbon all combine to make electric driving very appealing indeed. Private motorists may have led the way, but Irish businesses are quickly following suit and switching to an electric commercial fleet. As new and exciting commercial EVs are introduced to the market and the monetary savings temp, managing an electric or plug in commercial vehicle presents a sweet deal for any company with vans on the road.
 

Here at Sandyford Motor Centre, we are at the forefront of the move to businesses changing to electric vehicles and have a great selection of eVans to entice any professional driver. The award winning 100% electric Peugeot eExpert is a fabulous working vehicle. A smooth, dynamic, silent, and powerfully designed van with luxurious comfort on the inside and good looks on the outside. Peugeot is a market leader in commercial electric vehicles. There are many reasons why you should make your fleet electric. The Peugeot brand is the main one, but we also list below the just some of the other benefits to upgrading to EV. Read on and then call us for a test drive on the eExpert or any one of our electric, hybrid or PHEV vehicles.
 

The Irish Government EV grants and incentives

Ireland has set a target of reducing 51% of our carbon emissions by 2030 and setting the country on a path to net-zero emissions by 2050. The electrification of commercial fleets is obviously a core focus of these targets, and the plan is to have 945,000 electric vehicles on Irish roads by the end of the decade. The Irish Government has introduced financial motivations to entice you to going green and the opportunities for operational cost savings are obvious when these are taken into account. One of the most exciting opportunities that the government offered was the Electric Vehicle Fleet trials where businesses were offered to free trial a battery electric vehicle for over a year to see how it would work for their company. Don’t get too excited now. The demand for this scheme was so overwhelming that applications were closed very quickly. There are still many other enticements to encourage making your business go electric. The electric vehicle purchase grant has two strands of financial assistance, one for the purchase of small to medium vans (classified as N1S ) and one for the larger N1L.  A maximum grant of €3,800 is available for qualifying BEV N1S and €7,600 for an N1L category when purchased commercially. EVs with a list price of less than €14,000 are not eligible for the grant and the scheme applies to new vehicles only. Imported vehicles may be entitled to reduced VRT. Vehicle registration Tax, and there are grants to assist in the installation of EV charging points in the workplace. A vital component in moving your business to electric driving. There are tax incentives for employees and directors where BIK Benefit in Kind is applicable BIK is a significant tax, payable by the staff member or director on what is considered to be a perk of the persons reward package.
 

BEV’s currently qualify for a 0% BIK rate on the first €50,000 of the vehicle value without any mileage conditions. Unfortunately, PHEV vehicles do not qualify for this relief as they can still consume fossil fuels.

Fuel, maintenance, and general running costs

It is estimated that transport costs for going electric are 74% cheaper than conventionally fuelled cars. Fuel costs are the obvious initial saving as you leave the pumps behind in favour of electric charging. There are significant fuel savings to be made with a battery charged car. Running costs are less as the car itself has less operational mechanics and less things can go wrong. Road Tax is where one of the big savings can be made for companies with a few vehicles on the road. Fully electric vehicles are just €120.00 per annum for road tax. Tolls can also be a hefty financial outlay for many delivery drivers and commercial vehicles. €1,000 annually can be redeemed under the Toll Incentive Scheme for eligible vehicles and dependant on the class of vehicle and time of transit.
 

Brand Awareness and Going Green

There is no doubt that alongside the obvious savings to be made by going green, there is a certain amount of kudos and positive brand exposure when you take your fleet off the gas guzzling combustion highway and go down the green leafy lane of electric. It is a seen as a positive step by customers and consumers when a company shows their commitments to fleet electrification. Of course, you can feel pleased that you are contributing to a brighter future for our children and for the planet they inherit as carbon emissions are reduced. That goodwill and self - congratulations are all the sweeter when you are saving money too. Driving an electric LCV can be luxurious, practical, and cost effective. Going green has never been more tempting.

At Sandyford Motor Centre we have best of Peugeot's brand-new fleet of Electric commercial vehicles on show both online and in our South Dublin showrooms. We also have great finance offers on all our 2023 commercial vans and can advise on all you  need to get your company driving electric.