Celebrate World EV Day by going electric with 7Gen

September 8, 2022 Electric Vehicles

September 9, 2022 is World EV Day, a movement that celebrates and promotes sustainable emobility and EV ownership. Inaugurated in 2020, World EV Day encourages businesses and consumers to recognize the vital role they play in the global shift toward sustainable transport.

Fleet electrification is a crucial part of this transition to a greener transport system. If your organization operates a fleet of gas-powered vehicles, you can make a significant impact on the fight against climate change by replacing them with electric vehicles. Making the switch to EVs is also a smart move for your business in terms of operating costs, and the ability to win new business with a zero emissions transportation offering. However, the path to electrification is not necessarily straightforward—which is why 7Gen exists to help you make the transition.

In this article, we’ll discuss some of the benefits and challenges of electrifying your fleet and explain how 7Gen can help you make it happen.

Why electrify your fleet?

There are many compelling reasons to make the switch to electric vehicles. 

  • Help fight climate change.
    Reducing the number of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles on the road will cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, which is critical for slowing the effects of climate change. In particular, decarbonizing medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) vehicles such as vans and trucks will have a huge impact; they currently produce 40% of transportation emissions despite making up only 3% of vehicles on the road.
  • Help reduce air pollution.
    ICE vehicles are also a major source of black carbon emissions, which not only contribute to climate change but also negatively affect human health, accounting for 7 million pollution-related deaths every year.
  • Lower your operating costs.
    Fuel management is likely already one of your biggest expenditures, and gas prices continue to rise. In contrast, the cost of electricity low and tends to fluctuate much less than that of gas, allowing you to reduce your costs and offer longer, more stable offers to your clients.

    Maintenance costs for EVs tend to be cheaper in the long run, as well. That’s because EVs have fewer parts that need maintenance than their ICE counterparts, and because they use regenerative braking, which leads to reduced wear and tear on the brakes.
  • Offer a better experience to drivers.
    EVs offer a better driving experience compared to ICE vehicles, which could help you attract and retain drivers for your fleet. Whereas ICE trucks produce a lot of noise and vibration, which cause drivers to experience fatigue and other health issues, electric trucks offer a much quieter and smoother ride.
  • Bolster your sustainability credentials.
    Sustainability credentials have become a must-have in the shipping industry, with many companies now including environmental requirements in their contracts.

If you’re concerned that electric trucks might not perform as well as ICE trucks, you should know that despite their heavier weight, electric trucks can still carry a sufficient payload. They can also reach peak torque instantly, unlike gas-powered trucks that accelerate more slowly. And when it comes to range, most medium- and heavy-duty EVs have ranges that far exceed average daily use.

Why switching to EVs now will save you money

It’s no secret that the upfront cost of an EV tends to be higher than that of a gas-powered vehicle. However, when you calculate the total cost of ownership—an estimate that takes into account all expenses and savings associated with a vehicle over its entire lifespan—you may find that the EV is the more cost-effective option in the long run. This is partly due to lower fuel and maintenance costs, but also to the various subsidies and rebates available that offset the expense of purchasing or leasing an EV.

In an effort to meet zero-emissions targets, governments around the world are taking measures to encourage the widespread adoption of EVs. In Canada, there are a number of incentives offered by the federal and provincial governments designed to make buying or leasing zero-emission vehicles more affordable for businesses. Here are a few incentive programs currently in place:

  • The government of Canada’s Incentives for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicles (iMHZEV) program offers businesses up to $1 million in incentives per year towards the purchase or lease of eligible MHD vehicles. Even better, these incentives may be combined with provincial incentives for a total maximum rebate of up to 75% off MSRP.
  • British Columbia’s CleanBC Go Electric program offers a variety of rebates on electric vehicles and chargers to businesses and communities.
  • Quebec’s Transportez Vert  and Écocamionnage programs subsidize the purchase of EVs and the installation of charging stations and provide financial assistance with electrification planning.

If you’re planning on taking advantage of these incentives, don’t delay. The iMHZEV program was launched in July 2022 and will remain in place for four years, or until available funding runs out.

What are the current challenges of vehicle electrification?

The shift to EVs presents a number of challenges for the automotive industry and fleet owners. However, as the world moves toward zero-emission transport, there is a concerted effort underway to overcome these challenges.

For instance, as transportation technology becomes more connected, it’s vital to ensure that connected, autonomous, shared, and electric (CASE) vehicles are secured against cyber threats. A recent report by Deloitte Canada argues that all stakeholders in the automotive supply chain—including OEMs, governments, regulators, and fleet owners—have a role to play in vehicle cybersecurity. For fleet operators, that means monitoring vehicles and associated infrastructure for insider threats and making sure that data and assets are protected.

For organizations currently operating fleets of gas-powered vehicles, the logistics of switching to EVs can be a major challenge. Fortunately, the 7Gen team has expertise in all stages of the electrification process.

How 7Gen can help you electrify your fleet

Perhaps you’re ready to start adding electric vehicles to your fleet, but you lack the time or the resources to make it happen. Or maybe you’re still on the fence, unsure whether EVs are a sound investment for your company. No matter where you are in your decision-making process, 7Gen can help you find a solution that works for you. Here are just a few of the things we can help you with:

  • Performing a total cost-of-ownership (TCO) analysis.
    To determine whether adding EVs is truly cost-effective for your fleet, we’ll help you carry out a comprehensive TCO analysis. We’ll take into account factors such as the overall cost of the vehicle and charging infrastructure, how prepared your depot is for charger installation, and how much money you could save on operational costs and through government incentives.
  • Accessing financing.
    We’ll connect you with institutional capital as well as government incentives and subsidies to make electrification more affordable.
  • Planning and implementing your transition to EVs.
    We’ll work with you to design and carry out an electrification plan tailored to your operational needs.
  • Leasing and maintaining vehicles and chargers.
    With our EV-as-a-service model, you’ll pay a single monthly bill for the vehicles, chargers, software, and maintenance.

Our team also keeps close tabs on developments in the EV industry so that we can help you get your zero-emission vehicles on the road as quickly as possible. In early 2022, for instance, we learned that Ford would be allocating a small number of its E-Transit electric vans to the Canadian market. We jumped on the opportunity to secure some of these highly sought-after EVs and worked quickly to match Courant Plus, a Montreal-based delivery company, with two E-Transits and the associated charging infrastructure.

We’re looking forward to helping many more companies electrify their fleets in the coming months. If you’re ready to start your transition to EVs, reach out to our team today.

#WEVD2022