Fleet electrification using EV suitability analytics

Whether your goal is reducing fuel costs, lowering emissions or preparing for the future of commercial transportation, fleet electrification is becoming a central part of long-term planning for organizations of every size. 

For many fleet managers, however, knowing where to begin can feel overwhelming.

What is fleet electrification?

Fleet electrification is the process of transitioning some or all of a commercial fleet from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs). Fleets can use telematics data—daily mileage, dwell times and duty cycles—to identify compatible vehicles, calculating total savings and determine appropriate charging equipment.

Replacing a gas- or diesel-powered vehicle with an EV requires more than selecting a new model. Fleet managers need to understand whether an EV can meet a vehicle's daily operating requirements, how much it could reduce operating costs, what charging infrastructure is needed and how the transition fits into their broader asset replacement strategy.

Start with an EV suitability assessment

An EV suitability assessment solves this challenge by analyzing real-world operating data from your existing fleet. This assessment compares the operating patterns of your existing internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles with the capabilities of today's electric vehicles. The assessment evaluates how vehicles are actually driven, how far they travel each day and how they are used throughout the workday to identify practical opportunities for electrification.

To better understand the impact of switching to EVs, Verizon Connect's Data Science Team analyzed more than 92,000 ICE vehicles and found that 42% of vehicles could be replaced with EVs immediately.

Replacing suitable vehicles has the potential to reduce expenses by an average of more than $69,000 per fleet while lowering emissions by an average of 192 metric tons of CO₂ per account—the equivalent of planting 3,000 trees.¹

Which vehicles are the best candidates for electrification?

There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer for what EVs might be the best for your fleet, because every fleet operates differently. An EV suitability assessment can help by evaluating each vehicle individually using operational data such as:

• Daily mileage patterns and route distances
• Average time spent idling per shift
• Existing vehicle fuel efficiency
• Days with active vehicle usage versus park time
• Estimated daily range of equivalent electric vehicle models

The assessment then assigns each vehicle an EV suitability rating (Excellent, Good or OK), helping fleet managers quickly identify which vehicles are strong candidates for electrification and which are better suited to remain in service.

What savings could your fleet expect?

An EV suitability assessment also estimates the potential business impact of replacing those vehicles across key total cost of ownership (TCO) categories.

The tool analyzes an individual vehicle's usage against local fuel prices and electricity rates to project potential energy cost reductions.

It also estimates the specific reduction in carbon emissions achieved by converting suitable assets, providing concrete metrics for ESG and fleet sustainability reporting. 

Beyond the direct calculations provided by the assessment tool, transitioning suitable assets to electric unlocks broader operational savings across a vehicle's total cost of ownership. Scheduled maintenance for battery-electric vehicles (BEV) averages 6.1 cents per mile, compared to 10.1 cents per mile for conventional ICE vehicles — a 40% reduction in routine maintenance costs due to fewer moving parts, no oil changes and regenerative braking.² 

These projections help fleet managers compare replacement scenarios before purchasing vehicles and prioritize opportunities that offer the greatest operational and financial value.

Which EV models are the best fit for your fleet?

Once suitable vehicles have been identified, fleet managers can begin evaluating replacement options. Matching the right EV to each application requires more than comparing vehicle size. Payload, range requirements, operating conditions and charging needs all play a role.

Through Verizon Connect's integrations and partnerships, fleets can receive recommendations based on:

• Vehicle class and gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)
• Payload requirements
• Daily driving range
• Estimated lifetime TCO
• Expected total cost of ownership calculations and savings potentials
• Recommended charging equipment

These recommendations help narrow replacement options and give fleet managers greater confidence as they begin planning their fleet electrification strategy.

Build a practical fleet electrification strategy

The next step in an EV fleet conversion is developing an electrification replacement strategy that fits your fleet's operations, budget and long-term goals.

Incorporate EVs into your normal replacement cycle

For most fleets, electrification and fleet sustainability is a gradual process rather than a one-time transition. Replacing vehicles as they reach the end of their useful life allows organizations to spread capital costs over time while minimizing disruption to day-to-day operations.

A phased approach also gives fleet managers an opportunity to:

• Prioritize vehicles with the greatest electrification potential and highest daily idle times
• Align vehicle purchases with budget and replacement schedules.
• Expand charging infrastructure systematically as the fleet grows.
• Apply operational lessons learned before scaling the program across other branches.

EV suitability analytics helps prioritize these decisions by identifying which aging vehicles are best positioned for replacement based on their actual operating patterns.

Start with an EV pilot program

Many organizations begin fleet electrification with a small pilot program before expanding across the entire business. Testing a limited number of vehicles allows fleet managers to evaluate real-world vehicle performance, charging needs and operational impact using near real-time fleet data.

A successful pilot often focuses on:

• A single depot or operating location
• One department or business unit
• A vehicle type with predictable daily mileage, such as light-duty service vans
• Routes with consistent schedules and predictable overnight dwell time

The experience gained during a pilot helps refine future purchasing decisions, charging strategies and operational processes as additional EVs are introduced.

Prepare your operation for EVs

EV fleet conversion introduces new operational considerations, but it doesn't have to complicate fleet management. Planning for charging, infrastructure and day-to-day vehicle operations early can help create a smoother transition as more EVs enter your fleet.

How do you choose the right EV charging infrastructure?

Charging infrastructure should support how your fleet actually operates. The right solution depends on when vehicles are in service, how long they're parked and how quickly they need to return to the road.

Most fleets will encounter three primary charging levels³:

Charging level	Power output	Average charge time	Best operational use case
Level 1	Standard 120V AC	40-50+ hours	Plug-in hybrids or low-mileage support vehicles
Level 2	208V-240V AC	4-10 hours	Most commercial fleets; ideal for overnight depot charging
DC Fast Charging (DCFC)	480V+ Direct Current	20-60 minutes	High-mileage assets, multi-shift routes or tight dwell windows

Understanding these differences helps fleets invest in charging infrastructure that aligns with their operational needs instead of paying for capacity they may never use.

Use telematics data to size your charging investment

Not every fleet needs expensive DC Fast Charging infrastructure as part of its fleet electrification strategy. Vehicle telematics can help prevent over-spending on electrical upgrades by analyzing vehicle dwell time — the amount of time a vehicle remains parked at a depot between shifts.

For example, if telematics data shows that a service van spends 10 hours parked at a central facility each night, standard Level 2 overnight charging will easily replenish the battery for the next day's work. Installing a fast charger in that scenario adds unnecessary hardware and utility installation costs.

By analyzing vehicle dwell time, utilization and daily driving patterns, fleet managers can see how many and the type of chargers are realistically needed and where to best place these chargers. This helps control capital costs upfront and plan for charging equipment that supports EV battery lifespan.

Coordinate with your utility provider early

As charging infrastructure expands, many fleets will need to evaluate electrical capacity at their facilities. Working with your local utility provider early in the planning process can help identify available commercial EV grants or incentives, evaluate site power constraints and establish off-peak charging schedules to secure lower electricity rates.

Prepare your drivers and fleet operations

Fleet electrification has a material impact on drivers, fleet managers and dispatchers. Establishing expectations and monitoring vehicle performance helps fleets adapt quickly as EV adoption grows.

Address range anxiety and build driver confidence

For many employees, driving an electric vehicle is a new experience and range anxiety—the fear that a vehicle's battery will run out of power before reaching a destination or charging station—is a common concern.

Fleet managers can address range anxiety directly by sharing objective telematics data with drivers before they take the wheel. Demonstrating that a driver’s daily route averages 70 miles while their assigned EV has a verified range of 180 miles, can provide reassurance that the vehicle can easily handle their daily workload.

Basic driver training should also cover:

• How regenerative braking affects vehicle handling and efficiency
• Standard charging procedures and depot charging rules
• How aggressive driving and high speeds impact battery range
• Understanding EV fleet solutions like dashboard alerts and state-of-charge indicators

Helping drivers become comfortable with EV technology early encourages smooth adoption and reduces uncertainty on the road.

Monitor EV performance after deployment

EV fleet electrification doesn't end when new vehicles arrive. Monitoring performance helps fleet managers understand how EVs are being used and whether they're delivering expected operational and financial benefits.

Verizon Connect’s EV fleet management features monitor both electric and internal combustion vehicles from a single dashboard. Managers can track battery state-of-charge, active charging status, vehicle location and asset utilization alongside the telematics data they already rely on to manage daily operations.

Configurable alerts can also notify managers if a vehicle drops below a critical battery threshold or fails to plug in at its scheduled time.

Managing EVs and conventional vehicles together gives organizations a unified view of fleet performance as electrification expands over time.

How to plan for fleet electrification

Fleet electrification looks different for every organization, regardless of where they are in their sustainable fleet planning. Vehicle mix, operating schedules, budgets and business goals all influence how and when fleets transition to EVs.

EV suitability analytics removes much of the uncertainty from that process by using real-world operational data to identify where electrification makes the most sense. 

Book a demo to see the EV suitability tool in action and how Verizon Connect’s data-driven insights help fleet managers make informed decisions at every stage of the transition.

Sources

¹ Verizon Connect aggregated customer data analysis of Reveal users over 4 months

² Battery-Electric Vehicles Have Lower Scheduled Maintenance Costs than Other Light-Duty Vehicles, U.S. Department of Energy

³ Charger Types and Speeds, EV Toolkit, U.S. Department of Transportation