New Decision Tool to Estimate Electric Car Fleet Potential

A new online decision tool is to help fleet owners assess the economic and environmental consequences as a result of integrating electric cars in their fleets.

Insero E-Mobility is, in collaboration with Incentive Partners and Bytelab, developing a new online decision tool that shall help fleet owners identify the vehicles in their own fleet that can be replaced with electric cars, and help estimate the economic and environmental consequences as a result of such a switch. The project is financed by the Danish Energy Agency, who has asked Insero E-Mobility and Incentive Partners to develop a decision tool together, on the basis of their separate applications to the 4th session of subvention under the experimental scheme for electric cars in Denmark.

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Providing answers on electric car potential

There is no simple method for weighing the investment costs, the altered running costs and not least the environmental impact and carbon emissions, and then compare them to the current cost level with no electric cars in the fleet. Besides, the question regarding which extent electric cars will be able to cover the needed driving pattern comes up. A detailed mapping of driving patterns and a comprehensive knowledge of electric cars’ potential is needed. 

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The new decision tool will consistently and independently provide answers on all the above aspects in connection with an investment in electric cars. Today, there is no unbiased and user-friendly tool that can consult potential electric car fleet owners and therefore an unbiased basis for decision is needed, as the uncertainty about electric cars keep many fleet owners from choosing them. 

An unbiased decision tool

The aim is to develop an unbiased decision tool that can consult fleet owners on their decision of integrating electric cars in the fleet. Consequently, there is a strong need for a consistent data basis for the purpose of a comparative analysis with high data quality. The web application will thus be integrated in combination with both the national vehicle register, which enables look-ups based on cars’ registration number, and MOT test data, which can be used to estimate kilometre levels.

Future-proof concept

The web application will be developed in a simple and user-friendly design, where the user only has to provide very few data himself. All models of calculation and unit price data is embedded in the system and administered by the project partners. In doing so, the decision tool is future-proof as it is possible to update the underlying data at any time, for instance when new unit prices or emission factors become applicable.

Insero E-Mobility and the project partners are already working on the first phases of the development of the new tool and the web application will be launched in the spring of 2013.