Running a mixed fleet of electrical and gas powered trucks can be tricky. It has its own unique set of challenges that traditional fleets may not encounter. One of the most prevalent is tracking expenditures across both forms of transportation. Fuel is at an all-time high for gas vehicles so adding electric, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid vehicles into the mix is an excellent way to cut costs at the pump. However, it eliminates the chance for your company to adopt a general strategy for the whole fleet. This solution can make the process easier.
Why Add Electric Vehicles?
Electrical vehicles may have a high price tag, but they can help you cut fuel costs for your fleet. With charging stations set up across the country, it will be easy to recharge the vehicle overnight during idle times. A combined fleet of electric and gas powered vehicles gives you the best of both worlds while reducing the overall cost of fuel. Electric vehicles also do not require as many routine maintenance expenses. Things like oil filters, spark plugs, and mufflers are not needed in electric trucks and therefore limiting the number of parts that would need maintenance. By cutting costs, you can maximize profit or use that money elsewhere in your budget.
Budget Planning
Budgeting for a mixed fleet can be tricky but it is important to track trends and modify behaviors as needed. While considering gas prices and miles per gallon is mandatory for traditional trucks, electric vehicles require different metrics. The location of charging stations, battery life, and electricity rates will be starkly different from gas logistics and must be budgeted differently. Setting up a system that can help you evaluate the costs of both vehicles while acknowledging their differences is crucial.
Utilizing a Universal Fleet Card
At Diversified Energy Solutions, our priority is to provide fuel and to help make your job easier by offering unique solutions to complex problems. One way we are doing this is by updating our fuel card to work with fuel charging stations. Now, you will be able to use your DES fuel card exclusively where MasterCard has assigned Merchant Category Codes (MCC) associated with charging stations. Its universal abilities benefit hybrid vehicles by allowing them to be fueled either at a gas station or a charge at a charging station. Using the same card for both purchases will consolidate the vehicle’s overall charges into one place. A centralized place to view all of your fleet charges can help you evaluate the overall budget and costs. With the Diversified Energy Solutions fuel card, you can embrace easier expenditure tracking across all fleets.
Want to learn more about the benefits of our fleet card or want to talk to one of our fuel professionals? We have outlined everything you need to know about our fuel card here!
