Boosting EV Efficiency

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 can be attributed to advancements in technology and coaching provided by Lightfoot. The analysis was conducted on hundreds of cars in the system, measuring real-time consumption and mileage using Lightfoot technology. The average efficiency has increased 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 the progress made in the adoption of EVs by the fleet sector. He stated, "What our data clearly shows is that businesses and their drivers are combining our system with the new EV technology available and hugely improving efficiency and range."

As an example, a driver operating a car with a 60 kWh battery at 2.75 miles per kWh in 2022 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. This significant increase in range is attributed to the drivers utilizing the Lightfoot driver management system, which provides feedback to improve efficiency and range.

The Lightfoot system has been proven to reduce fuel consumption in petrol and diesel vehicles over the years. However, Hollick emphasized that this data shows the transformational effect it has on EVs as well. He highlighted the combination of better energy management technology, more efficient batteries, and less power-hungry ancillary systems as factors contributing to the increased viability of electric cars for more people and fleets.

The improved efficiency not only impacts the range of EVs but also the cost of running them. Assuming a 60 kWh battery car charged at 30p per kWh in 2022, it would cost 11p per mile to run. In 2023, the cost per mile would decrease to 8p. Over 20,000 miles a year, the car in 2023 would save an incredible £580 in electricity compared to the car in 2022 when fitted with Lightfoot technology. 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 efficiency improvement was observed during a heatwave in July and August 2022. The heavy use of air conditioning during this period caused a 20% drop in efficiency, outweighing the advantages of warm weather on battery efficiency. Hollick emphasized that this data highlights the impact of air conditioning on EV range, stating, "The noticeable hit to efficiency during last year's heatwave shows that in fact air conditioning has a bigger impact on EV range than colder weather during the winter months."

Hollick further emphasized the importance of considering external factors in efficiency and cost predictions for fleets. He highlighted the need for fleets to be aware of these factors and the importance of driver coaching and telematics in making EVs cheaper to run and go further.

FutureCar Staff