Watch out for these if you're managing field work with an EV fleet

Electrifying your fleet can be a great way to meet ESG goals, but without planning, they can also cause your costs to spiral out of control.

With petrol or diesel vehicles, you just refuel anywhere and move on. But with EVs, charging networks are fragmented and unpredictable. A 30-minute delay from an outdated charger can lead to missed opportunities and repeat visits. That cuts into your margins.

If you're in Operations, it’s not enough to plan where your field teams go, you also need to plan when, where, and how long they charge, and at what cost. Traditional route planning tools alone won’t cut it anymore.

Why EVs break old ops models

Tools like Dynamics 365 Field service are a great way to provide field technicians with optimised daily route planning. But even the best route won't save the day if their van starts the day at 30% battery and no charging plan is in place.

“The biggest differences between petrol or diesel vehicles and electric vehicles are range and charging time,” explains Zsófia Tóth, Volteum’s co-founder and CEO.

The high variability of EVs introduces serious complexity:

• Range is unpredictable: Speed, temperature, and terrain can cut EV range in half.
  
  
• Charging isn’t seamless: Charging at home can take 10+ hours. The fastest public chargers might take 20 minutes, but many still take an hour or more,
  
  
• Charger access isn’t guaranteed: Public charging requires specific apps or cards. If your driver can’t access a charger on the go, they’re stuck.
  
  
• The grid can’t keep up: Most fleet depots are simply not built for high-power charging at scale. Upgrading the grid connection can take years.

How to use connected data to optimise EV fleet planning

“We forecast the energy consumption for every vehicle for the next day using factors like route, vehicle type, topography, and even weather,” said Zsófia Tóth. “Based on that, we generate a charging schedule that respects all real-world constraints: grid capacity, parking availability, energy pricing, and human factors like avoiding 2 am plug-ins.”

Here’s what smart EV fleet planning can look like when you leverage connected data and real-world constraints. No more guesswork, just precision and control:

• Proactive planning

Know ahead of time if any vehicle will need to charge mid-route, and where that charging can happen without disrupting operations.

• Optimised overnight charging

Create intelligent charging schedules for depot-based vehicles that take advantage of off-peak energy pricing, ensuring full batteries by morning without unnecessary costs.

• Maximised infrastructure

Avoid overbuilding by strategically scheduling charger use, even fleets with more vehicles than chargers can stay fully operational without delays.

• Staying agile

If a vehicle consumes more energy than forecasted or a charger goes offline, get real-time alerts to adjust plans quickly and keep your fleet moving.

By thinking strategically and using the right data, fleet managers can confidently navigate the complexity of EV operations and unlock real efficiency.

Why start small, but start now

Electrification doesn't need to be disruptive if you do it right.

“We usually advise companies to start with one to three vehicles and gain real-world experience,” said Zsófia. “When companies try to scale too fast without internal processes, it can do more harm than good.”

With the right tools, even a small pilot can give teams the insights they need to scale confidently. By simulating what an optimal fleet and infrastructure setup would look like before making any investments, teams can plan ahead effectively. As infrastructure projects and grid upgrades can take years to implement, this is critical. 

Three things every ops team should know

Here are Zsófia Tóth’s top takeaways for operations teams managing electric fleets:

1. EVs can save money, but only if you plan ahead.

EVs aren’t always more expensive. Strategic planning around energy, routes, and infrastructure is key to unlocking significant ROI. Companies that think ahead can save money and maximise the value of their EV investments.

2. Don’t overbuild. 

A smarter charger strategy often outperforms a bigger one. Most fleets don’t need a charger for every vehicle. With the right software, companies can reduce costs and maintain uptime by efficiently managing fewer chargers.

3. Treat electrification as a data problem. 

With EVs, success isn’t just about vehicles and chargers. It’s about real-time data, smart connectivity, and operational optimisation. Unlike petrol fleets, EV operations demand a strategic approach to how everything is connected and managed.

If you’re considering electrifying your fleet, start by putting together a plan and running simulations to put them to the test.

“Companies that succeed with EVs are the ones who put in the work early,” said Zsófia Tóth. “They pilot, they learn, and when they scale, they’re miles ahead of their competitors.”

Volteum helps enterprise Ops teams do exactly that. From planning and simulation to day-to-day execution, they take the guesswork out of EV operations.

👉 Book a demo at volteum.io or connect with Zsófia on LinkedIn.

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