Fuel economy is always a top priority for fleets, and recent factors—such as persistently high inflation—have ratcheted up the focus on optimizing the use of fuel and lowering costs. In fact, fuel prices are the third most cited issue in the 2023 Top Industry Issues report from the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI). Moreover, the ATRI report found that the cost of fuel rose to 28% of a truck's total operating costs, the highest percentage since 2014.
Fleets are also turning to electric vehicles (EVs) to take their fuel economy efforts to the next level, as well as support their sustainability initiatives. According to a recent Samsara report, 99% of physical operations leaders have already implemented or plan to implement a sustainability program, while 85% have said that increasing the sustainability of their operations is a high or critical priority. As a result, nearly half (49%) have accelerated their transition to EVs.
Key takeaways:
- One of the industries with the highest proportion of EVs in their fleets is manufacturing and consumer products.
- Data shows that EV adoption is much higher for organizations that drive fewer total miles. These organizations may also operate in locations with more charging stations and better EV infrastructure.
- According to data, the Top 5 states for EV and hybrid adoption are Nevada, California, Massachusetts, Maine, and Arizona. Each one of these states has multiple public and private incentives aimed at driving EV adoption, with varying refunds, grants, and exemptions. For example, Nevada and Massachusetts both offer grants to mitigate diesel emissions, while California and Maine offer rebates to businesses that purchase EVs. Arizona offers businesses rebates for the purchase or lease of electric forklifts, truck charging bays, and other electrification projects.
- EV adoption is growing in the United States, but U.S. organizations are playing catch up to businesses and governments across Europe.
