According to Dawsongroup’s EV Readiness Survey, 42% of fleet managers across the UK identified driving range as their primary concern when selecting an electric van. That figure climbs even higher among businesses running smaller fleets, where there is less flexibility to absorb operational disruption.
Simon Ridley, Managing Director at Dawsongroup vans, has seen how quickly concerns around range can ease once businesses look properly at the data.
“The assumption is often that range will be a problem. But when fleet managers spend time digging into their daily mileage figures, they find that most routes fall well within what current electric vans can comfortably cover.”
Here, with experts at Dawsongroup vans, a nationwide commercial van rental company specialising in long-term fixed-term rental agreements, we take a look at what shapes real-world range and how fleets can get the most from every charge.
Why Typical Range Figures Might Not Apply to Your Fleet
Government transport statistics show that the average UK van covers less than 50 miles a day, well within the operating range of most modern electric models.
That average will be broadly accurate for many fleets; however, the average doesn’t tell the whole story. A van regularly dispatched to a distant site, or one pulling a loaded trailer over hilly ground in winter, will see a drop in real-world range compared with a standard run on flat roads.
Cold weather, heavy payloads and motorway driving all place greater demands on the battery. Overlooking those edge cases when putting together a fleet plan can lead to costly mismatches between the vehicle and the job.
Payload and Route Type Matter More Than Many Expect
Battery range is affected by a combination of factors working together. Load weight is a major one, with a fully laden van using noticeably more energy than the same vehicle running light.
Route type is equally relevant when it comes to understanding range. Stop-start urban driving tends to suit an electric van better because regenerative braking recovers energy during deceleration, whereas motorway driving drains the battery more steadily and leaves less opportunity for recovery. Fleets making long, uninterrupted runs need to account for this when selecting vehicles and planning charging stops.
“Not every van on a fleet is doing the same job,” says Ridley. “Matching the right vehicle to the right route, rather than treating the fleet as interchangeable, makes a real difference to both range and running costs.”
How Driving Style Affects What You Get from a Charge
How a van is driven can have a bigger effect on range than many fleet managers anticipate. Sustained high speeds, sharp acceleration and late braking all reduce efficiency.
Drivers who understand how to get the best from an electric van, including how to use regenerative braking and when to ease off rather than accelerate, will consistently achieve better real-world range.
“Businesses that invest in practical driver training before putting electric vans into service tend to see better outcomes, both in terms of range and in driver confidence and satisfaction,” says Ridley.
Trial Periods Remove the Guesswork for Fleet Managers
Businesses with particularly demanding routes can benefit from running a structured trial first. Testing a vehicle under real operational conditions, with typical loads and across the actual routes it will cover, gives a far more reliable picture than a specification sheet.
“The businesses that approach this methodically get better results,” says Ridley. “A trial period takes the guesswork out of the decision and gives fleet managers something concrete to work with.”
With the government’s target for 70% of all new vans sold in Great Britain to be zero emission by 2030, building operational knowledge now will help put businesses in a stronger position when the transition becomes unavoidable.
