As South Africa's commercial electric vehicle (EV) market begins to gain momentum, fleet operators are being urged to look beyond charging infrastructure and vehicle procurement and also focus on driver behaviour, which is viewed as a less obvious factor that could determine the success of fleet electrification.
Speaking during the WesBank EVolution 2.0 event, held at The Forum Conference Venue, in Johannesburg, on July 22, advanced driver training and fleet risk management company MasterDrive CEO Eugene Herbert encouraged businesses introducing EVs into their fleets to rethink traditional driver training, arguing that driving habits developed in internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles often worked against the efficient operation of EVs.
He noted that many organisations assumed that drivers with years of experience required little additional training when transitioning to EVs; however, the different driving characteristics of EVs meant that ICE drivers often had to unlearn established habits before they could maximise the operational and financial benefits of the new technology.
He explained that harsh acceleration, unnecessary braking and poor anticipation reduced energy efficiency and increased operating costs, while the proper use of regenerative braking and smoother driving techniques could significantly improve vehicle range and battery performance.
