12 Days of Fleet FYIs: What is Range Anxiety? | Utilimarc Fleet FYIs

Gretchen Reese (00:06):

Hey there. Welcome to Fleet FYIs, the weekly podcast by Utilimarc that reveals how you can make the most of your data for smarter fleet management. My name is Gretchen and every week you'll hear from me and some of the industry's finest in candid conversations that will shed some light on not only two decades' worth of data insights, but some of the industry's hottest talking points and key metric analysis with the aim to help you better understand your fleet from every angle. 

(00:33):

But before we begin, if this is the first time you've heard our show, thanks for stopping by. I'm so glad you decided to come along for the ride with us. But I've got a quick favor to ask you. Once you finish today's episode, if you could take a few minutes to leave us a review on your favorite podcasting platform, we would really appreciate it. Give us a rating, five stars, I hope (laughs). Or tell us what you liked or leave us a comment or a question about what you heard in today's episode. But if we haven't yet covered a topic that you're interested in hearing more about, let us know. We would happy to go over it in detail in a later episode. If that sounds good to you, let's get back to the show.

(01:17):

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Fleet FYIs podcast. Today is Day 2 of Twelve Days of Fleet FYIs and today we're covering quite a popular topic which I'm sure you've all heard of this one and that topic is range anxiety, as you can probably tell from the title of this show. We're covering what it is, why it exists, and whether or not it's still a valid concern because I'm sure that a lot of people are still wondering that. But before we dig into today's episode, if you've not yet listened to Day 1 of Twelve Days of Fleet FYIs, I'd encourage you to add it to your queue after you've finished listening to this one. In that episode, we're breaking down natural gasses, their uses and the difference between LPG, LNG, and CNG. But anyways, moving on. Time to chat about range anxiety because that's why you all are here. At least I hope so.

(02:08):

So, if you own an electric vehicle, or you've considered buying one or leasing one or your fleet potentially is looking at acquiring multiple, you've likely heard stories of people whose battery charge ran out in the middle of the day. An EV isn't like a gas-powered car where you can just stop at a fueling station and fill your tank in under five minutes. Batteries can potentially take up to hours to charge, depending on the charger that you have, level 1, 2, 2 or DC fast charging. And if you run out of charge while still on your trip, that could potentially create a sticky situation. It means that you might need to spend unplanned extra time at a charging station for a few hours or even, you know, a few minutes, again depending on access to different types of charging infrastructure if you're lucky enough to find one nearby.

(02:55):

And actually, a 2019 study done by Volvo found that more than half of the drivers that they surveyed were unwilling to buy EVs because they were afraid that they would run out of power before being able to charge their vehicle whilst 49% voiced concern about the limited number of charging stations. And that's a pretty big deal. But whether it's infrastructure concerns or attitude towards a new technology, does it provide some insight as to whether or not range anxiety is still a valid concern? Let's take a look.

(03:38):

First, let's talk about what exactly range anxiety is. So, range anxiety is often referred to as the feeling of fear or dread that a vehicle has insufficient charge or range to reach its destination or perform a certain task, and that potentially it could hinder performance, stand the vehicle's occupants, or be a major cost sink. None of which sound good, if you ask me (laughs). The term is primarily used in reference to battery electric vehicles, a BEV or a Bev, depending on what you call it and it is thought to be one of the largest barriers to large-scale adoption of all electric vehicles, and sometimes even hybrid models for that matter.

(04:18):

Typically, range anxiety stems from an unexpected difference in routine. I mean, this is all something familiar to all of us, right? You know, for example, if a friend, a family member, or a colleague asks you to go somewhere or do something at the last minute but you didn't fully charge your EV the night before, you might find yourself in a bit of a pickle. Will you have enough charge? Will you have access to a charger if you don't? Do you have the time to charge your vehicle if you need to charge it? If the task can't wait, you may be left hoping that you'll have enough charge to accomplish it and then find a charging station before you've been left stranded on the side of the road or before you make it home. And that, my friends, can be a bit of a scary thought.

(04:57):

One thing to keep in mind though is that if you feel range anxiety when you're driving an EV you can also feel range anxiety when you're driving a gasoline engine vehicle too. It happens when you let your fuel level drop too low and you can't find a gas station and, of course, yes, it's happened to all of us.

(05:14):

I can tell you one instance where it happened to me and I was right about ready to panic because it happened in the middle of a snowstorm in Silver Bay in northern Minnesota. And for those of you who don't know the North Shore of Lake Superior very well, there's one highway that will take you along the North Shore and there's one gas station on the road after you pass the last one in Silver Bay, which is something that I forget because my focus was on the blizzard, not the need for gas. And the next one after you pass the one in Silver Bay, if you're sticking to the main road because I needed to be in Lutsen, is in Tofte, which... that's no close jog. In fact, it's nearly fifty miles away so I was in pure panic mode. So, let's just be clear here. Range anxiety is not limited to electric vehicles only.

(05:59):

The thing is though, finding a gas station still seems to be easier than finding a charging station, especially in rural areas. You know, northern Minnesota can be one depending on where you are. So back to the question at hand: is range anxiety still a valid concern? Well, on one hand, yes, but on the other hand, no, not exactly.

(06:21):

Our perception of EVs might take some time to adjust. I mean, that makes sense, right? It's a new technology. A lot of people still view them the same as they did back in 2010 but the thing is is that a lot has changed in over a decade since the wider spread adoption of these vehicles, especially in terms of range and we're talking about how far they can go. The new generation lithium ion batteries are advanced enough that most vehicles can run anywhere from 200 miles to 300 miles on a single charge, which is pretty incredible. It's roughly about the same as an internal combustion engine, depending on what your gas mileage is. And according to Tesla, because 99% of all people in the US live at least 150 miles from a charging station, it, in theory, should be possible to plan your routes accordingly, especially if you've installed for fleet in-yard charging or at-home charging if you're a c- just a regular everyday consumer like you or me for your electric vehicle.

(07:19):

So, like I said, same goes for fleets, but access to infrastructure is absolutely key. Infrastructure, I think, is going to be the key to all of this, right? I mean, that always seems to be the case. But, I digress. One way to help you on the infrastructure-side, and this is one thing that we like to talk about a lot here at Utilimarc, is turning to your data. I mean, you know, we're a bit of a, (laughs) a group of data nerds so that's not really any surprise that we're talking about data yet again. But the thing is, is utilizing your telematics data from your current vehicle assets can really aid in your route and infrastructure planning strategy. For example, telling you where and when certain charging equipment is needed. 

(07:57):

But that being said, EVs are showing to be good for consumers and individuals who can have them per- for personal use but they can actually also help fleets looking to achieve certain sustainability targets in the coming years. I mean, you've probably all heard that before, right? But, I'm still on the side of the fence where I do think balance is key. Don't go out and electrify all of your assets right away. Definitely do a "dip your toes in" approach before you go all in and jump into the deep end.

(08:24):

Range anxiety though, I think at least, it likely plays more into the fears of fleet managers who are trying to balance fleet sustainability and the duties and the responsibilities that may require vehicles to travel long distances, have all day responsibilities, or perhaps those that have heavy weights to deal with as well as the prior too; like garbage trucks, for example. So like I said, inn terms of validity of range anxiety, yes and no. I guess what I'm trying to say is of course, like many things, it's complicated.

(09:07):

But what if you still worry about range? Because I think that a lot of people still will regardless of how many people that says don't worry. Um, you know, I always like to tell people our brains don't really have a don't complex. If someone tells you, "Don't think of an elephant," or if you tell yourself, "Don't think of an elephant," you're still going to think of an elephant because the image was presented to you. So, when people say don't worry about range, odds are you might still worry about it from time to time. But the thing is is that a lot of anxiety stems from being uncertain of what the future holds. We know that. Part of this stems from a lack of public infrastructure currently available or access to limited resources. However, it's a direction that we're currently headed as the US strives to achieve its climate and sustaba- and sustainability commitments in the coming years. 

(09:53):

But what do you think? Are you still worried about range when it comes to electric vehicles and their uses? Whether it's for fleet or personal use, electric vehicles still carry with them plenty of questions that, in time, we'll have the answers to. But until then, I want to hear your thoughts. Send me an email. Tag me on LinkedIn. Use the hashtag UtilimarcFleetFYIs. Hey, even a carrier pigeon will do. You guys know the drill by now. Let me know what you think and in the meantime, I will look forward to being back with you again in the Day 3 installment of Twelve Days of Fleet FYIs. Ciao.

(10:28):

Hey there. I think this is the time that I should cue the virtual high five because you've just finished listening to another episode of The Fleet FYIs podcast. If you're already wanting more content, head over to Utilimarc.com which is Utilimarc with a C, U-T-I-L-I-M-A-R-C.com for the show notes and extra insights coming straight from our analyst to you. That's all from me this week so until next time, I'll catch you later.