Electric Vehicle Fleet Telematics & Tracking
What Is Telematics?
Also known as fleet tracking or GPS vehicle tracking, telematics is now an essential management tool for many commercial and government fleets. At Merchants, we can help you collect high-quality data and analytics from your electric vehicle fleet. Our fleet consulting team can help you set up a dashboard to easily monitor vehicle and driver behavior, system diagnostics, and more.
Why EV Telematics?
Telematics data and electric vehicle (EV) analytics allow fleet managers to make more informed decisions For example, after an EV pilot, fleet managers would have a clear picture of what other gas-powered vehicles are prime for EV adoption. By tracking miles driven, geographical coverage, trip and route data, and more, fleet managers can test EVs to find the best makes and models for their fleet.
As you move to EVs, additional telematics data is available, such as battery usage, which can help answer questions about range and how it compares to gas-powered vehicles in your fleet. Installing telematics with EV-specific capabilities allows you to:
- Manage the “Where and When” of Charging
- Oversee Energy Consumption and Energy Generation
- Improve Driving Habits
- Monitor the Battery’s Charging Status
Fuel and Energy Usage Report
With an energy usage report, fleet managers can view data for their entire fleet, as well as data for each individual vehicle. Fleet managers can compare energy consumption, performance, and distance traveled between EVs and internal combustion vehicles. For EVs, you can look at how much electricity you needed to charge your vehicles and the price of the energy. If your fleet has any PHEVs, you can obtain a report on battery vs. fuel usage. If the battery in a PHEV isn’t consistently charged, it will run on fuel like an internal combustion vehicle.
Get the Whole Picture
Merchants Fleet can help you install and activate telematics and tracking system on vehicles that are not connected capable, and our Consulting Services team identifies fleet trends and recommends adjustments to improve performance. Our experts help optimize your fleet and increase productivity. In addition to monitoring trip data, vehicle systems information, and driver behavior, we can also provide current and saved snapshots to help you manage expenses, utilization, productivity, and safety.
We can help identify key areas of improvement for cost savings and safety and assist your EV fleet ROI by supplying you with recommendations. Fleet managers can set up notifications for themselves and drivers when an EV battery is critically low and needs to be charged, when a plug-in electric vehicle (PHEV) is running only on fuel, or when a driver is charging during peak rate electricity times. Peak electricity times will vary by location.
Advanced Vehicle Data
Merchant Fleets telematics solution sends, receives, and stores information about each vehicle. You can easily monitor emissions, speed and idle times, system diagnostics, and much more. By using this advanced data, you can view similarities and differences between your internal combustion and electric vehicles.
TotalConnect Connected Fleet
The future of fleet is here and it’s time to take your business to the next level. TotalConnect provides a clear view of your fleet data using hardware already built into most modern vehicles, allowing confident action to be taken on your fleet data insights. Get state-of-the-art analytics to support business operations and manage your vehicles and drivers in a meaningful, data-driven way. TotalConnect can help guide your EV procurement decisions, reduce TCO, and generate revenue.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I estimate the resale value of new EVs?
Our analysts can help you evaluate this based on industry trends, forecasts, and third-party research. Our remarketing programs can help you get the most value.
How much will it cost to add EVs to my fleet?
Specifics will vary based on your exact needs, but Merchants offers flexible leasing and financing programs with no mileage restrictions and no charges for excess wear and use. Zero-risk EV adoptions are also available, contact our team of experts to learn more about what electrification options could work best for your fleet.
Can Merchants Onboard Visibility work without an external GPS device?
While the hardware is powered by advanced technologies, including Machine Vision and Artificial Intelligence, it does require a compatible Geotab telematics device and subscription to operate.
How do I budget for EVs?
You should consider all of the following costs associated with EVs: financing, charging equipment, installation, operation and maintenance fees, as well as any extended warranty and annual charging network fees. Our team will ensure that there are no surprises, and that you’re taking advantage of tax incentives to reduce your bottom line.
Experience what expert knowledge can do for
your fleet.
Speak with a Merchants Fleet expert about our total fleet solutions for your organization or industry.