Plumfleet recently announced a partnership with a leading supplier and installer EV charging stations. So FAN spoke to Matthew Prestney to find our more about this deal and get an update on the grey fleet market.
FAN: Why did Plumfleet get involved in providing electricity?
Prestney: Plumfleet’s involvement with EVs began in mid-2015 via our relationship with one of Australia’s largest energy providers. In working together with this customer, we played a pivotal role in helping them establish a suitable range of products and services aligned to the increasing use of EVs in the Australian fleet market. From that point onwards, and in line with Plumfleet’s long-held philosophy of working with clients to solve the issues involved in running a modern fleet, we have been engaged in this sector of the fleet market.
FAN: What forecasts do you have about the growth in EVs?
Prestney: Due to an alignment in terms of comparable price and driving range with ICE vehicles, EVs, in their various forms, are expected to be a dominant element of the Australian and New Zealand automotive landscape within the next two decades. Bloomberg’s 2018 Electric Vehicle Outlook forecasts a sharp up-take in plug-in EVs worldwide, with the estimated global EV car-park approaching 11 million vehicles by 2025. Australia’s EV market grew slightly in the last 12 months and Plumfleet has certainly witnessed an increase in interest around EVs from the public and not-for-profit sectors where customers are seeking assistance in term of how best to set up their EV infrastructure – from vehicle selection, to charge-points, cabling and driver training.
FAN: Tell me more about your electricity provider?
Prestney: EVSE is Australia’s number one Supplier and Installer of Universal Electric Vehicle Charger and EV specific chargers for manufacturers such as BMW, Tesla, Nissan and Mitsubishi. EVSE offers the most comprehensive range of EV charging solutions, from cables to portable, home and commercial charging stations, available in the Australian market. Through our relationship with EVSE, Plumfleet is also able to facilitate express delivery and installation services for our customers – all backed up with the EVSE Quality Guarantee.
FAN: How do I get a charging outlet installed? How long? How much? Are there any restrictions?
Prestney: Get in touch with Plumfleet who have formed a strategic partnership with EVSE who has a range of market-leading EV charging products that are suitable to all commercial and fleet applications. Hardware prices range depending on the type of system required and the need for connectivity and back-end management. Charging stations can be installed quite simply and often in a matter of days. Restrictions do apply around the type of EVs being charged, the availability of power that the customer’s site however our partner EVSE Australia have a range of solutions to optimise what is available on site with the end-user.
FAN: Also, how is the grey fleet market going? Are businesses willing to acknowledge the issue now compared to when you started three years ago?
Prestney: We’ve witnessed a significant increase in the level of understanding on the part of Australian and New Zealand organisations with respect to both driver and grey fleet management. In line with this trend, the interest in, and uptake of, Plumtree (our fleet and driver management system) has also increased substantially in the last 12 months. We’re now finding that we’re spending less time explaining the issues and more time working with our customers in delivering appropriate solutions which is both exciting and satisfying. We’ve recently taken part in two large tenders (one in Australia and the other in New Zealand) with a heavy focus on grey fleet and driver management services and we’ve also seen a significant increase in direct web-enquiries from organisations keen to know more about how Plumfleet can assist them.
Plumfleet recently presented to an audience of over 100 fleet managers at a ‘Grey Fleet-themed’ luncheon we co-hosted with the RACV and will also be conducting similar events in Melbourne and Sydney in conjunction with one of Australia’s leading providers of Salary Packaging and Novated Leasing services in July. We typically find that enquiry levels, coupled with an uptake in our products and services, results from these sessions.
