Plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) sales are steadily rising. From 2010 to 2014, over 260,000 PEVs were added to American roadways. PEV adoption is not just happening at the consumer level. Businesses, government entities, and other institutions — including electric co-ops — are converting some or all of their fleets to PEVs. As battery costs continue to fall and financing options make PEVs more affordable, commercial fleet electrification is poised to become more widespread. Electric co-ops have a unique interest in considering the adoption of PEVs in their own fleets; end users will look to their electric co-op for leadership and guidance about PEVs. PEV growth presents a rare opportunity for electricity providers to strategically add load that could not only be a source of additional revenue — but which could also be used for load shaping.

This is the first of two articles covering the basics about using PEVs as fleet vehicles. The information presented in these guides is intended for use primarily by fleet managers at co-ops — and is also relevant to commercial co-op members that have questions about PEVs. This article provides a quick snapshot of PEV technology, an up-to-date report on the PEV market, an overview of key PEV benefits and drawbacks, and background on PEV use in commercial fleets — including information on charging infrastructure and total cost of ownership. Part Two of this series, “A Guide to Adopting Plug-in Electric Vehicles to Your Fleet,” continues the discussion on PEVs, with a specific focus on co-ops exploring PEVs for their own use.

Article: Fleet Electrification 101

Related Article: Guide to Adopting Plug-in Electric Vehicles for Your Fleet