The Real Story Behind Electrifying Van Fleets: What Fleet Managers Are Telling Me
By Cian Kavanagh at ZeroMission
Since October, I’ve spent most of my days talking with fleet managers across different industries, delivery services, trades, utilities, and public sector operators, all navigating the early stages of van fleet electrification.
While every fleet looks different on paper, the day-to-day stories I hear are remarkably similar. There’s a clear pattern in the practical roadblocks they face, and it’s rarely just about picking a van and plugging it in.
Below are the themes I hear the most and why acknowledging them honestly is the only way to move forward.
Range Anxiety: Beyond the Brochure
One of the biggest worries that comes up every single time is range anxiety.
On paper, a van might promise 200 or 250 miles per charge. But in reality, no two routes are the same, and no two days are either. Heavy payloads, traffic jams, cold weather, and unexpected stops can shave miles off fast.
Fleet managers tell me they lose sleep over the “what ifs”:
What if a driver gets stuck on a rural job?
What if an urgent detour pops up late in the day?
What if we misjudge the real range under a full load?
These aren’t theoretical questions; they’re the kind of curveballs that keep operations teams on their toes. And until fleets feel confident they can handle these situations without disrupting service, range anxiety remains very real.
Charging: It’s Never Just One Solution
Next up: charging.
Many fleets start with a clear plan for depot charging. It’s a good start, one central location, predictable overnight top-ups. Simple, right?
But reality quickly complicates things:
Some drivers take vans home. Should you pay for home chargers? Reimburse their energy costs?
Others work irregular hours or start from remote sites. Public charging infrastructure often isn’t designed for commercial vehicles.
Fast charging on the road can be scarce or unreliable in some regions, plus, it can cost more than expected.
Suddenly, “Where will we charge?” turns into a web of cost questions, policy decisions, driver training, and local infrastructure challenges. Without careful planning, this can stall an electrification rollout before it properly scales.
Total Cost of Ownership: Good Theory, Hard Sell
Electrification advocates love to talk about TCO, Total Cost of Ownership. In theory, lower fuel and maintenance costs should outweigh the higher upfront price of electric vans.
And yes, in many cases, that’s true over time. But here’s the challenge:
Upfront costs are real cash flow concerns today.
Predicted savings are just that, predictions, and every fleet manager knows how quickly maintenance or fuel costs can fluctuate.
Downtime is costly, too. One unexpected issue with an unfamiliar EV system can eat up savings fast if you don’t have the right parts or technicians ready.
So while the spreadsheets look promising, many fleet operators say they need more real-world proof or financial support before they can commit to big changes with confidence.
Data Gaps: Flying Blind Doesn’t Work
One of the quiet truths about fleet electrification is that it exposes where your data and systems are weak.
For years, many fleets have run on gut instinct and experienced drivers knowing their routes inside out. But when you switch fuels and refuelling patterns, gut instinct isn’t enough.
Without accurate telematics, things like real-time state of charge, precise energy use under different loads, and clear charging patterns, planning becomes guesswork.
And guesswork doesn’t scale when you have dozens or hundreds of vehicles and tight customer commitments.
I’ve heard this over and over: “We need clearer, actionable data to make smart decisions. Otherwise, we’re rolling the dice.”
So, What’s the Takeaway?
These challenges aren’t signs that fleet electrification is impossible, far from it. They’re a reality check that this transition needs:
• Good planning grounded in actual fleet data, not just generic averages.
• Charging strategies tailored for how and where drivers really work.
• Financial models that account for real costs and give operators breathing room to adapt.
• Tools and partners who understand that “one size fits all” doesn’t work for complex fleets.
The fleets I talk to aren’t asking for miracles. They’re asking for practical solutions, honest information, and a clear roadmap that reflects the messiness of real-world operations.
The good news? These problems are solvable when everyone involved is willing to build from the ground up, using real data, real feedback, and real-world trial and error.
I’ll keep sharing what I hear from the frontlines. If you’re tackling these same challenges, I’d love to compare notes and if you’re further ahead, your lessons learned can help the whole industry move faster, together.
