Pool cars have been the best testing ground for electric cars in fleets with the previous Hyundai Kona EV being the preferred option because of supply, and the similarity to the petrol model. There are now more EV models in the market so which ones should Fleet Managers consider for a pool car?
After speaking to Fleet Mangers over the last 12 months here’s our recommendation for the right Fit for Purpose electric pool car.
The most common criteria is range. Despite the majority of pool car trips being local and returning to base overnight for charging. A minimum range of 400km was preferred which rules out most of the cheaper electric cars. Some fleets are willing to consider a range of 350km once they understand how the pool cars are being used.
Vehicle size is another factor and the preference is for SUV despite most pool car trips being for one passenger. Most EVs in the market are SUVs so it doesn’t limit the selection.
Safety is an important factor and pool cars aren’t any different to other fleet vehicles. This means the perfect EV pool car would have 5 ANCAP stars.
An emerging issue is cyber security. An integrated pool car booking system is recommended as best practice regardless of the size of the pool car fleet. These systems use telematics, electronic key cabinets and a slick user interface which are all connected via an ecosystem operating in the cloud. They store sensitive company information including personal information on each driver.
Some organisations are banning electric vehicles with over-the-air update capability where the data is stored in a non-friendly location. This eliminates several of the new brands that have recently entered the Australia market with new energy vehicles.
The driver interface is important because most pool car drivers will have an ICE vehicle at home so introducing them to electric fleet cars needs to be as seamless as possible.
Several Fleet Managers ruled out Tesla straight away. Both Model Y and Model Model 3 have been a roaring success in recent years for private and novated lease buyers, but they aren’t prepared to add them to the pool fleet because the the driver interface is an acquired taste.
Price/WOLC/TOC doesn’t seem to be a big concern during this early stage of the transition to zero emission vehicles. Most organisations have accepted there’s a cost to start early and pool car fleets make sense as a way to ‘test and learn’ while exposing as many employees to EVs as possible. Though WOLC will become an important issue in the second wave of EV fleet purchases.
Using the criteria above the best electric car to include in your pool car fleet in 2024 is the Kia Niro S.
The Kia Niro also comes as a hybrid which provides additional flexibility to the Fleet Manager if range is genuine a concern.
