Supercharge Your EV Transition with Mobility Data Analytics

The invention of the gas-powered car by Carl Benz in 1885 wasn’t just another step in the history of mobility—this time, humanity has made a real leap forward. By making transportation more efficient and accessible, internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles have affected all industries in one way or another. Over time, we started to rely on them so heavily that we now design our routines, lifestyles, and even entire cities around them.

But no king rules forever. Fast-forward to today, and after almost 130 years, the reign of combustion engine cars is slowly but surely coming to an end. A new contender is on the rise—electric vehicles (EVs).

What you'll learn

2022: A landmark year for electric cars

The departure from ICE vehicles is already underway. Perhaps the most spectacular example comes from the EU, which lately went ahead with a ban on sales of new fossil-fuel cars from 2035. The first signs of change are also starting to show in the US, where California has already introduced similar measures. Other states, such as Washington and New York, are also moving forward with their anti-ICE laws. 

Couple that with the recent battery technology breakthrough poised to dramatically reduce EV charging times, and it seems the future of automotive has to be electric. Thus, mobility enterprises may be tempted to rush the adoption of EV-based fleets to gain a competitive edge. But the switch is not all roses—going electric has its challenges and calls for a well-thought-out plan, especially for companies that operate large and diverse fleets.

How to combat these challenges and optimize your fleet electrification? The answer lies in data analytics.

Successful EV transition: what stands in the way?

Globally, the EV market is booming. In Europe, Allied Market Research projects a 25% CAGR of value between 2020 and 2027. With a 60% increase in EV registrations in the first quarter of 2022, the US also seems to join in on the EV movement. Things are also looking up in Asia. China has reached its 20% registration rate goal ahead of schedule, and the Asia-Pacific EV market is expected to grow in value at a CAGR of over 34% in 2021-2028.

Benefits of EV Fleets

But as already mentioned, despite the above benefits of EVs, challenges persist that should be addressed by any company seeking fleet electrification. Let’s review the most significant ones:

Total cost of ownership (TCO)

Up front, EVs tend to cost more than ICE cars. Higher purchase prices also mean higher average insurance rates, while sophisticated, non-standard tech elevates repair fees. Add the cost of adjusting your current infrastructure (charging stations, grid upgrades), which makes up a hefty sum.

That said, two factors will more than compensate for the steep initial investment in the mid to long run. Firstly, an EV-based fleet is more affordable regarding operational expenses thanks to longevity, lower maintenance costs, and less money spent on fuel.

Then, governments and municipalities offer subsidies to incentivize companies and individuals to switch to EVs. These include purchase grants, tax deductions, lower parking fees in selected areas, preferential charging tariffs, and more. Using them wisely, fleets can cover the difference between investing in traditional and electricity-powered vehicles.

Range anxiety

Modern EVs have already proven their capacity for day-to-day personal use. Still, many fleet managers doubt battery power would be sufficient to handle long-range commercial hauls.

While these fears may have been justified in the early days of EVs, they should no longer be a concern. Research shows that the average range of EVs doubled between 2013 and 2019, and as of 2022, almost all new models can run between 340 and 480 kilometers on a full charge (200 and 300 miles). The range can also be improved by adjusting driving style and additional battery usage (e.g., cabin heating).

Charging difficulties

Power station availability is often a significant headache for fleet operators considering the switch to EVs. While battery capacities and publicly available chargers have been steadily increasing, ensuring that your cars won’t be left stranded takes some planning.

Another thing to consider is the charging time itself. Depending on the vehicle and infrastructure, it can vary from 30 minutes to one hour. It doesn’t seem like much, but it’s enough to disrupt your existing schedules if not accounted for. On the other hand, we seem to be on the brink of solving the long EV charging time, with recent developments bringing it down to 10 minutes

Mobility data analytics. The answer to EV grievances

The above challenges call for adopting a smart strategy to transit to electric fleets. It is a big move, especially when planning to replace many vehicles. To proceed smoothly, it’s essential to answer a few key questions:

Just like all business-critical decisions, the choice to go electric must be an informed one. Mobility data analytics helps to make it so.

 

Going electric with mobility data

We have already elaborated on mobility data analytics in one of our previous posts, but if you need a refresher, here’s a general definition: “Data analytics describes using data manipulation techniques to analyze datasets and solve business problems, answer questions, find trends, predict actions and events, make decisions, and draw conclusions.”

In mobility, data analytics uses information collected from dashcams, onboard vehicle diagnostics (OBD), and other telematics devices, among other sources, to come up with insights that can help inform decisions, like the one about the optimal way of transitioning to electric vehicles. 

The collected data can include, for example, the following metrics:

With all this data in place, a mobility analytics solution can generate an electro-mobility assessment report with key insights on EV adoption, such as the ones presented in the table below.

Top Insights

The combined powers of data and mobile apps

At first, the insights provided by a mobility data platform may seem overwhelming. However, the platform can be integrated with a custom-made mobile and web app to make them easier to understand and implement when assessing the EV transition. Data analytics and a smartphone or web application enable access to complex data insights from a simple, familiar interface.

On top of its presentation function, a mobile app can turn a phone into a trip-recording device. This allows for easy but potent data collection without investing in additional trackers.

The data sets obtained this way are connected to the predictive model, enhancing its capabilities to assess your EV eligibility.

This is how the AskLee mobile application, developed jointly by Motion-S and FEBIAC (Federation of the Automobile and Cycle Industry of Belgium and Luxembourg), works. It perfectly illustrates how mobile apps can be coupled with analytics platforms to evaluate the suitability of EV transition.

First launched in 2020, AskLee has recorded over 150 thousand trips, covering more than 2.5 million kilometers (1.5 million miles) in a couple of months. The app’s core features include a detailed trip overview, rich EV catalog, and data overview.

The application has given everyone involved in the EV transition—fleet managers, insurers, drivers, and executives—easy access to all the knowledge needed to make data-driven decisions about the switch to electric cars.

 

Key takeaways: The transition to EVs is gaining traction globally as generous policies, operational benefits, and developing EV technology motivate more and more mobility companies and individual drivers to make the switch. However, common misconceptions and fears about the total cost of ownership, vehicle range, and charger availability still discourage many from adopting EVs. Mobility data analytics offer a solution to this problem, helping organizations assess their eligibility for transition and maximize the benefits of EV-based fleets. If you’re wondering if going electric is the right move for you, get in touch with us—tell us about your business, book a free demo, and tap into the potential of data analytics and EVs.

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