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SearchThe answer depends on each vehicle and its actual working day. Mileage, payload, time parked, energy costs, and access to charging make it possible to compare total costs and identify where an electric vehicle could fit without compromising availability.
Electrifying a fleet is not just a matter of comparing the price of an electric van with that of a combustion-engine van. For a small business, the decision also affects energy costs, maintenance, charging infrastructure, and day-to-day operations. That is why there is no single answer for the entire fleet: one vehicle may be a good candidate while another, with longer or more variable routes, may not yet be a good fit.
The most useful comparison starts with usage data for each vehicle. With this information, the company can estimate the total cost of ownership (TCO) over a defined period and check whether the expected operating savings justify the investment and the changes needed to keep the service running.
Before requesting quotes, it is useful to record, over a representative period, how many kilometres each vehicle travels, what payload it carries, which routes it takes, and what time it returns to its parking location. It also matters how long it remains parked and whether it is usually kept at the company’s premises overnight.
It is not enough to use the advertised range as a reference or to size the fleet for the most demanding day of the year. A vehicle that covers regular routes and returns to base every night may have a different usage profile from one that alternates short working days with long or unexpected journeys. If there are significant differences from day to day, records help assess both typical use and exceptions that could affect operations.
Payload, road type, schedules, and shifts complete the analysis: they do not just indicate how long the battery needs to last, but also when and where the vehicle could be charged without interfering with deliveries.
The electric and combustion-engine scenarios should be assessed using the same mileage, period, and criteria. In both cases, the comparison can include:
Electricity costs are not necessarily the same at every location or time, and public charging may involve different terms from those of a private installation. Likewise, savings on maintenance or fuel should not be taken for granted: they need to be estimated using data and assumptions applicable to the specific fleet.
A vehicle-by-vehicle table helps make the differences visible:
| Aspect | Electric vehicle | Combustion-engine vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | Price and financing for the selected model; possible cost of chargers and electrical upgrades | Price and financing for the selected vehicle |
| Operating costs | Energy based on consumption, tariff, time, and charging location | Fuel based on consumption and the price considered |
| Infrastructure | Private charging, public charging, or a combination; check power capacity and availability | Refuelling and access to fuel on usual routes |
| Operational fit | Usable range, time parked, and opportunity to charge | Route coverage and refuelling times |
| Maintenance | Estimate using information applicable to the model and intended use | Estimate using information applicable to the model and intended use |
The table does not replace an economic calculation. It helps ensure that relevant costs are not left out and separates observed data—for example, kilometres travelled—from estimates, such as future changes in energy prices.
If vehicles return to base and remain parked for several hours, that window may make it possible to plan charging without automatically resorting to high-power equipment. But the outcome depends on how many vehicles need charging, at what times, and on the installation’s capacity. They do not all have to charge at the same time or at maximum power: the pattern of arrivals and departures can affect the number of chargers and the power required.
Public charging can be a useful backup, but the total number of charging points in Spain does not, by itself, show that a suitable point will be available at the time and place needed. For intercity routes, coverage and power along the specific journeys need to be checked; for urban or local operations, it is important to check the accessibility of the stations drivers could actually use. Effective availability, detours, and waiting times are also part of the operational assessment.
If the electrical installation needs upgrading, chargers need to be added, or shift management needs to change, these items should be included in the financial scenario. Leaving infrastructure considerations until later may mean that the initial comparison does not reflect the full cost of putting the vehicles into service.
Instead of making a decision for the entire fleet at once, the company can compare scenarios: replace the vehicles with the most regular usage first, temporarily keep those that cover routes that are difficult to serve, and reassess operations using subsequent data. This does not assume that electric vehicles are more profitable; it makes it possible to check whether the cost difference and the suitability of the routes justify each replacement.
For each scenario, it is useful to specify the calculation period, projected mileage, energy and fuel prices used, financing, and the costs attributed to infrastructure. It is also useful to test how the result changes if those assumptions vary. Public subsidies, if taken into account, should be verified against the relevant call for applications and applicable conditions; they should not be treated as guaranteed income without confirming eligibility, availability, and amount.
Telematics and fleet records can help compare consumption, journeys, and state of charge with projections. After a vehicle is added to the fleet, this data makes it possible to check whether it meets the planned working day and whether the charging plan works as expected.
Electrification may be a better fit when a known usage pattern, routes compatible with usable range, and an opportunity to charge without reducing availability all coincide. It may be harder to justify if routes vary considerably, the vehicle operates intensive shifts, or it depends on a public network whose coverage and power have not been checked along its routes.
The conclusion should follow from the complete comparison, not from a general promise of savings or an aggregate figure for charging points. For a small business, the most prudent approach is to assess each vehicle using real data, include infrastructure and energy costs, and compare several scenarios with their assumptions clearly stated. This makes it possible to identify where electrification is a good fit today and where more data or suitable operating conditions are needed before making a decision.
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