Boosting EV Efficiency with Lightfoot Tech

author: FutureCar Staff    

Lightfoot, a company specializing in telematics, has found that the real-life efficiency of electric vehicles (EV) used as company cars has improved by 35% in the past year. This improvement is attributed to advancements in technology and coaching provided by Lightfoot. Through analysis of hundreds of cars in its system, Lightfoot has observed an increase in average efficiency from 2.75 miles per kWh in July 2022 to 3.72 miles per kWh in June 2023.

Paul Hollick, the managing director of Lightfoot, expressed his excitement about these figures, stating, "These figures show the incredible strides the fleet sector is making in the adoption of EVs." He emphasized that businesses and their drivers are combining Lightfoot's system with the new EV technology available, resulting in significant improvements in efficiency and range.

To illustrate the impact, Hollick provided an example. In 2022, a driver operating a car with a 60 kWh battery at 2.75 miles per kWh could expect a real-world range of 165 miles. However, by the middle of 2023, a car with a similarly sized battery would have a real-life range of 223 miles, going nearly 60 miles further on every charge.

All drivers in the study had the Lightfoot driver management system installed, which provides feedback about their driving style to improve efficiency and range. Hollick highlighted that the Lightfoot system has historically reduced fuel consumption in petrol and diesel vehicles, and this data demonstrates its transformative effect on EVs as well.

The increase in efficiency not only impacts range but also the cost of running an EV. Assuming a 60 kWh battery car charged at 30p per kWh in 2022, it would cost 11p per mile to run. However, in 2023, it would cost 8p per mile. Over 20,000 miles a year, the 2023 car fitted with Lightfoot technology saves an incredible £580 in electricity compared to the 2022 car. These savings would be even greater in more expensive public charging scenarios.

Lightfoot telematics data also revealed the impact of external factors on EV efficiency. The only significant slowdown in steady improvement occurred during a heatwave in July and early August 2022. Efficiency dropped from 3.0 miles per kWh to 2.4, a 20% decrease, due to heavy air-conditioning use. This demonstrated that air conditioning has a greater impact on EV range than colder weather during the winter months.

Hollick emphasized the importance of considering these external factors in efficiency and cost predictions. He stated, "As we learn more about how EVs operate in the real world, it's not always the most obvious assumptions that prove to have the most effect." However, he concluded that Lightfoot's driver coaching and telematics make EVs cheaper to run and enable them to go further.

FutureCar Staff