Purchase bonuses, exemption from TVS, maintenance costs reduced to almost nothing, more charging stations in public spaces, etc. : everything suggests that electric is creating a place in professional fleets. With 17,130 vehicles registered in 2018, electric vehicles
now represent 2% of professional fleets in France and have recorded significant growth in recent months (OVE). What are the associated costs, compared to thermal vehicles? In which cases is it financially interesting to opt for electric?
Cost comparison
Based on manufacturers' public prices, the purchase price comparison reports that the electric vehicle is 1.5 times more expensive than the thermal vehicle . Added to this is the cost of installing an electrical terminal (€700 on average).
Following a study carried out with data from a fleet managed by FATEC Group, the comparison of the maintenance cost between an electric car and a thermal car revealed 2 observations: by considering their use over equal contract durations, the electric car indicates maintenance costs 4 times lower; while the analysis per kilometer traveled shows identical maintenance costs. The difference in costs over time is partly explained by the delta in mileage (the electric having driven 4 times less than the thermal over a 3-year contract). Furthermore, by comparing maintenance expenses between a Zoé and a Clio, and between an electric Kangoo and a thermal Kangoo, we see that maintenance visits were much fewer during the life of the electric vehicle.
In the same fleet, the average €325 spent in 3 years in the garage for an electric vehicle certainly concerns a tire change; against abundant spending on mechanical parts for diesel and gasoline cars.
Since electric is useful on short journeys, the mileage of electric remains less important than thermal. However, the difference in maintenance costs can also be explained by the technical composition of the electric vehicle requiring less maintenance . For example, “ their automatic gearboxes have few complex mechanical parts that could break. The clutch, the exhaust line, the particle filters, the timing belt do not exist in the electric motor; while they are very expensive to maintain a diesel or gasoline engine ,” explains Jean-Guilhem de Lanlay, sales representative and specialist in electrical issues at FATEC Group. On the other hand, the so-called “dynamic” braking system makes it possible to use kinetic energy (the momentum of the car) to recharge the battery, creating a magnetic resistance effect which slows the vehicle. The positive externalities of this energy recovery braking are twofold: the vehicle's autonomy is increased by 10% and the brake pads are barely used.
Finally, an estimate calculated according to data from fleets managed by FATEC shows that the energy of an electric car (charging + battery) costs on average €11.41 per 100 km traveled compared to €8.69 for a diesel car (average consumption at 6.25 L/100 and average price of diesel at 1.39€/L). Electric charging has an average cost of €2.90;
Added to this is the average battery cost of €8.41/100km (calculated according to Renault rents). For rental, manufacturers offer annual mileage packages: in the case of a Zoé purchased, for 7,500 km traveled per year, the battery is rented for €69/month; for 12,500km, €89/month; etc. Renting allows you to benefit from free assistance and battery replacement if its capacity is reduced to less than 75%. While upon purchase, a new battery costs on average €10,000 (source: auto-moto) and benefits from a guarantee for 8 years or 160,000km (replaced if its capacity falls below 66%).
Comparison of uses
Although the cost estimates are almost equal, the uses are still different. We note, for example, that electric vehicles in professional environments are better suited to car-sharing fleets whose routes are known and controlled, rather than to the routes of salespeople who travel across France. Journeys from one site to another within the same company or in the same city are easily controlled. In these cases, the fleet manager can ensure that each vehicle is parked and plugged in at a specific location at the end of the day. Furthermore, electric will really find its benefit for short journeys , replacing thermal vehicles which drive little and whose maintenance and fuel supply are restrictive for everyone.
However, the realities of use sometimes hold surprises . We can cite the case of a construction company which decides to replace electric cars with diesel cars going from the office to construction sites, without anticipating the fact that its night workers have the habit of lighting themselves with their car headlights: a technique which works with thermal, but which drains the electric battery in a few times. In another case, employees authorized to take their company vehicle home would have no way of recharging the car each evening.
Finally, in addition to the comfort and savings generated, electric can also be a way of sending a message through the company . A boss who travels in a Tesla, a silent site, charging stations in front of the entrance to the premises: these are all elements that can contribute to a brand image, to a conviction of eco-responsibility assumed by an economic group; and moreover contribute to the comfort of employees.
FATEC testimonial
“ To implement electric vehicles, we must first question the use, the routes, the distances and the roads that the electric vehicle will take, considering all the scenarios ” advises Aurélie Carayon, director of customers at FATEC Group.
On a regular basis, FATEC Group conducts analytical studies on the expenses and usage habits of its customers' vehicles to optimize their costs.
