Demystifying the switch: a step by step guide to the EV adoption journey

Businesses understand the need to reduce their collective carbon footprint and that transitioning from the internal combustion engine to electric vehicles is going to be a crucial part of this process. But the prospect of making the switch can feel daunting, particularly in longstanding companies with established ways of working. Here are five recommended tips from the experts for anyone considering making the switch.

Get the Whole Team Onboard

Often when it comes to a company’s EV adoption journey, a mental leap is needed to get the process going. To start with that means dispelling myths about EV vehicles. Start with a conversation about range. Take, for example, the CUPRA Born, with the 77kWh battery, which can do up to 342 miles (WLTP)* on a single charge, depending on factors such as temperature, air conditioning use, driving style and tyre pressure. How often does anyone in the UK really drive further than that without stopping? Then overcome fears about costs by selling the benefits of going electric. EV company car drivers benefit from vastly reduced Benefit in Kind payments and far cheaper running costs. As Area Fleet Manager Mark Penny puts it: “Benefit in Kind payments could be reduced from as much as £300 down to £30 a month and you’re looking at probably half the price per mile on an electric car compared to an internal combustion engine car.”

Get Some Practical Experience

As National Fleet Manager Justin Costello is keen to point out: “For many employees, their company car is the most valuable benefit after their salary so they want a vehicle that they really love.” At CUPRA, they find the easiest way to convince company car users of the value of an EV is to get them behind the wheel at one of their test driving sessions. Actual real-life experience of the cars is also great for building confidence as Mark Penny is keen to stress: “There are a lot of preconceived ideas about things like the charging infrastructure, which get dispelled when people actually get out driving in the cars.”

Keep the Conversation Going

Making the most of an EV is all about utilizing the incredible range of technology available on modern cars like the CUPRA Born. Make your staff aware of the built-in apps they can use to ensure they charge their cars only during the late-night off-peak hours. As well as lowering running costs, the car’s technology also helps when it comes to the annual insurance bill as Justin Costello explains. “The safety technology that’s now available on our vehicles – front assist, blind spot detection, 360 degree cameras around the car and parking sensors – have led to a significant reduction in damage to vehicles which has lowered their insurance premiums”

Remember the Journey is a Journey

For some businesses the leap from a combustion engine fleet to a purely EV fleet is too big to make in one go, with different employees having different needs and different circumstances at home. Thankfully, no car company worth its salt imagines that the solutions are ever one-size fits all, and the CUPRA UK’s Fleet Team are on hand to lend their expertise and offer bespoke advice for every scenario. The CUPRA range includes EVs and hybrids, which are available to be leased as well as purchased. Of their collaborations with leasing companies, Justin Costello says, “Leasing companies tend to offer customers a whole life solution, from locking in maintenance and servicing to working with us to replace cars with new vehicles of the right profile.”

Keep Sight of the Destination

There may be ongoing conversations about the timescale but the reality is that the future of driving is electric and the need to get there is urgent. Thankfully, what’s right for the planet is right for your company and right for your employees. As the experts at What Car? magazine succinctly put it: "All electric cars, including the Cupra Born, are smart business buys. The Cupra Born is such a good all-round car that it gets What Car?‘s maximum five-star rating. And like all EVs, it will be cheap for a company’s employees to run as a company car."

Find out more here about the benefits of switching to EV and how CUPRA can help you on your EV journey

*The CUPRA Born is a battery electric vehicle. Figures shown are for comparability purposes; only compare electric range figures for battery electric vehicles tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load. Battery electric vehicles require mains electricity for charging. Figures based on a fully charged battery.