Manage Your Electric Trucks With Electric Fleet Management Software

Go green and bring down your trip costs with electric trucks, and use an electric fleet management solution to optimize them.

Allow us to narrate a sweet dream– imagine you possess a fleet of electrical trucks which have successfully bought down the cost of the trips. Your fleet trips have reduced carbon emissions which the government appreciates with tax concessions and favouring laws. Also, you are able to manage your electric truck fleet with ease. Does it sound too good to be true?

What if we tell you all this is a reality with electric truck fleet management software? Using it will help you optimize your fleet and eliminate anomalies and shortcomings. But before that, you need to know how exactly electric vehicles work and their pros and cons. So continue reading to gain knowledge in one place.

What Do You Need To Know About Electric Trucks?

Let’s start with what exactly is an Electrical Vehicle. Electric vehicles, or EVs, use one or more electrical motors powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, similar to the batteries that power our phones and laptops. In contrast, our conventional vehicles employ internal combustion engines (ICEs) that require fossil fuels like petrol, diesel, or gas to run.

Like all electronic devices, electronic trucks plug into external power sources for charging. As a result, their batteries are less polluting than fuel engines. Furthermore, lithium-ion batteries are guaranteed by manufacturing companies to work more efficiently and have a life span of 8-10 years.

Like gas stations, electrical trucks have constant access to power on the road through a charging station network. Also, electrical trucks don’t have certain mechanical components that ICE vehicles do. Parts like fuel lines, fuel tanks, and tailpipes are not there as they are responsible for carbon dioxide emissions which the EVs don’t emit. This helps to reduce air pollution.

Advantages of Incorporating Electric Trucks in Fleet

Often called the cleaner alternative, electrical trucks have multiple advantages. These advantages are compelling more and more fleet businesses to consider it for their operation. 

Electric Vehicle Battery Life

Since electric trucks are powered by regenerative braking, the battery recharges using the kinetic energy that is getting released by the vehicle’s brakes. The lithium-ion battery cell can last 2000 and 3000 cycles and up to 10 years. And as the technology improves, the battery size and cost will only reduce, and longevity improving.

Environmental Friendly

In order to reduce their carbon footprints and emissions, many organizations are adopting electric trucks in their fleet. Electrical trucks don’t need fossil fuels, and neither do they emit greenhouse gases. These vehicles run on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which are long-lasting and more work efficient.

Lower Energy Costs

Another reason why companies are willing to switch to electrical truck operations from ICE vehicles is because of the rising prices of fossil fuels. This is impacting their trip costs. And because charging your EVs is way cheaper than filling your trucks with gas or diesel, they are a more economical choice.

Tax Benefits

As more and more countries are trying to reduce their country’s carbon emissions and reduce pollution, they are offering incentives for companies to go green. For example, they are promoting laws that favour replacing ICE trucks with electric trucks. Many governments are even offering tax concessions and credits to organizations that are opting for the electrical truck fleet.

Less Maintenance

Ease of maintenance is one of the advantages of using an electric truck fleet. Since the vehicle is electrically powered, there is no requirement to lubricate the engine like that of a combustible engine. As a result, the need for maintenance only occurs when there is a move and tear. But since electric trucks don’t have many moving parts, demand for maintenance decreases.

Happier Employees

Fleet companies operating with EVs have seen improved employee productivity and retention. This is because the drivers are getting smoother, quieter rides without inhaling exhaust fumes. In addition, a study suggests smoother rides usually improve mood and lower stress levels.

Disadvantages Of Incorporating Electric Trucks in your Fleet

There are shortcomings of every good thing, so why not electric trucks, which sounds too go to be true, aren’t they? Below are some of the disadvantages we think you need to consider before going green.

Range Constraints

On average, electric trucks range between 100 and 300 miles. This range might vary based on the efficiency and speed of the driver. Also, the charging is depleted if the vehicle heats up, is too cold, or during extremely high or low temperatures. Even the load carried by the truck affects its range.

Remote Areas Charging

The fleet might face difficulty traveling in remote areas with no charging stations. This might even cause range anxiety. However, many countries are working on installing electric truck charging stations in public areas.

Higher Upfront Costs

EVs have a higher upfront premium majorly because of the cost of batteries, and the more the battery capacity, the higher the upfront cost. Also, if you operate an electric fleet, you’ll need to charge it with on-site charging points. And for that, you will need to install chargers that are not cheap.

But with time, this technology is expected only to grow, which will bring down the cost of the charging infrastructure. Furthermore, using fleet monitoring software can help mitigate these disadvantages.

What is Electric Truck Fleet Management Software?

Well, now that you know the perks of incorporating electric trucks in your fleet, it’s time you know how to make the best out of them. But difficulties arise when fleet operators and managers have to ensure that the EVs stick to government regulations. For that, they have to monitor them constantly. 

The job does not end here as the managers have to supervise to ensure maximum utilization of the charging and decrease idling which is costing the company. This gives rise to the need for electric truck fleet management. Through it, managers are able to address difficulties like range constraints and anxiety as the software provides a unified insight driven view.

Electric Truck Fleet Management Solutions To Rescue!

The electric vehicle tracking platform’s solutions offer real-time diagnostics through data-driven solutions. As a result, they cannot only view the live location and charging status of their entire electric truck fleet but also guarantee timely delivery of the consignment.

Battery Management System

BMS becomes essential if you want your electric trucks to run long. Installing EVs with a battery management system can help improve the battery’s life and ensure safety. It has some of the most important functions like:

Monitoring Battery Parameters

This is an essential component of BMS. It monitors and tracks the battery’s state according to the set parameters.

Voltage Monitoring: It indicates the battery’s voltage, maximum and minimum battery cell voltage, etc. Monitoring of voltage becomes necessary to ensure the battery lifecycle. 

Temperature: It is crucial to monitor the battery temperature as the fluctuation affects battery life and charging. It displays the average cell temperature, coolant circulation temperature, and overall battery temperature.

Battery Balancing: Electric truck battery management system measures the state of charge (SOC), which indicates the battery’s charge level. BMS is required to optimize battery performance. It conveys with the motor controller to prevent cell voltage from dropping too low while discharging.

Key Battery Calculation

BMS is required to calculate multiple battery values according to the set parameters, like the maximum charge and discharge. This helps to determine the cell’s charge and discharge limit.

Driver Behaviour Monitoring

When driving electric trucks, drivers must be mindful of the range they can cover and the charging they are left with. If they indulge in a non-compliant activity like harsh braking and acceleration, they will consume more charging, which will also affect the engine’s health.

A driver behaviour monitoring solution comes into play to ensure this does not happen. It alerts the managers in real time whenever the drivers are driving recklessly. It also provides automated reports containing details of the events that occurred during the trip. Using it, managers can weed out bad drivers.

Route Management And Optimization

Route management and optimization are crucial when including electric trucks in your fleet. These trucks require frequent charging. Using the solutions, managers can map out a route that is optimal for the trucks and consists of charging depots as well. 

Also, managers can geofence these depots to ensure drivers don’t spend excessive time lazing around. Also, since the truck is short on miles, they get real time alerts whenever a driver deviates from the optimized route.

Video Telematics

Video telematics lets you visually supervise your fleet through the mounted dashcams facing drivers and roads.  Through AI-enabled DMS and ADAS, managers receive alerts whenever drivers are sleepy, distracted, or drowsy. You will receive screenshots and video clips notifying you about the situation. Through ADAS, the system alerts you when a collision is about to happen for prevention.

Live Location Tracking

Live track your electric truck fleet, drivers, and the consignment using a GPS tracking device. The software provides real-time visibility that helps ensure  EVs’ safety.

Analytical Reports

Using the Electric fleet management software provides managers with real time automated reports. They contain consolidated data on every trip aspect, like miles traveled, charging expenses, duration, events that occurred, driver score, and much more. It even contains details of vehicle health and required maintenance. The report’s information is accurate and can be used to make timely decisions.

Electric Truck Fleet Management: Future of Logistics

Electric trucks are proving to be groundbreaking technology as they can scale up efficiency in goods transportation. As these vehicles don’t rely on fossil fuels, they can reduce logistics costs, which benefits the fleet company. Also, these vehicles require comparatively less maintenance, another plus for the company.

If the concern is for the range constraints and charging fleet management software is there to help you. Through its route management and optimization, managers can plan an optimal route that has charging depots. And as this technology improves long-haul hybrid electric trucks, electric refrigeration trailers are being developed.

Even the government realizes the need for sustainability and the reduction of pollution. That is why it is encouraging fleet companies to include EVs in their fleet. They are even offering tax concessions and forming EVs-friendly policies and laws.

DHL’s supply chain plans to completely convert its fleet to electric vehicles by 2023.

Manage Your Electric Fleet with TrackoBit

We agree that the upfront costs can be slightly high in the beginning. But in the long run, your fleet company will be able to cut down on fuel and maintenance expenses. Commercial use of EVs has been welcomed with open arms in India. Companies like Swiggy, Zypp, DHL,  Zomato, and Domino’s have started adopting EVs as means of delivery. 

And not to forget, incorporating EVs in your fleet automatically makes you part of the logistics revolution. You can adopt fleet management software to utilize and optimize your electric truck fleet and enjoy even more benefits like visibility.

TrackoBit is a leading fleet management software that can help you easily manage your fleet and provide more trip control through its solutions.