One of the often overlooked points surrounding the rollout of electric vehicles (EVs) is driver training. According to fleet management experts Rivus Fleet Solutions, this needs immediate attention and should be considered best practice as EVs continue to be rolled out in greater numbers.

Driver training can give employees the skills, confidence, and knowledge to operate an electric vehicle safely. EVs are a significantly different proposition to petrol and diesel counterparts. For example, they are quieter on the road and there is less lag on the acceleration. These can be surprising to drivers getting behind the wheel of an EV for the first time.

A lack of understanding around how electric vehicles work has potential to pose safety risks to drivers, other road users and pedestrians. In addition to the human safety risk, accidents can put insurance premiums at risk and lead to repairs of higher value vehicles – which can be costly.

However, Rivus Fleet Solutions feels driver training can help reduce the risk for new EV users and lead to lower costs in the longer term. Sarah Gray, Product and Services Development Manager at Rivus, discusses the key considerations around driver training:

“For businesses switching over to an electric fleet, driver training should be a major consideration before getting into the driving seat. As well as the safety element, quality driver training could bring down insurance premiums long term, and contribute to overall savings to the Total Cost of Ownership of an electric vehicle.

“We would urge all operators to introduce and roll out electric vehicle training for fleet drivers, delivered by an expert provider. At Rivus, we have been offering training and driver engagement to our customers as part of our Electric Vehicles as a Service (EVaaS) offering for some time, as we see the long-term value in minimising risk and building driver confidence.

“Ideally, we would like to see a government approved standard set across the industry, but this is likely to be a long time coming, prove costly and potentially delay the roll out. In the meantime, we will continue to offer our training and welcome expert intervention where necessary, as well as encourage others to play their part in making our roads safer and increasingly carbon efficient.”

Electric vehicle fleet management | Rivus Fleet Solutions