Evaluation of Electric Vehicles as an Alternative for Work Trip and ...

eyond 60 mpd. In the 30-59 mpd group, 59 percent occasionally drove
more than 60 mpd, and 41 percent drove beyond 90 mpd. In the 60-89 mpd
group, 60 percent of the vehicles were occasionally driven beyond 90
mpd.
In commercial fleets, Berg found that 21 percent of cars and light
trucks never had to travel more than 60 mpd. Berg went on to observe
that in commercial fleets, although 46% of all fleet vehicles
“typically” did not exceed 60 mpd, practical limitations on making other
vehicles available for occasional longer trips resulted in his finding
that only an additional 9 percent of vehicles could remain within the
60-mpd range limitation. Overall, a combined total 30 percent of the
car and light truck fleet was observed to fall within the 60-mpd
limitation.
Berg observed that an electric vehicle could be driven most of the
time if the driver had ready access to a longer-range vehicle when
occasionally needed. That longer-range vehicle could be provided for
the occasional higher-mileage day from either the state fleet or through
mileage reimbursement to the employee for the use of their private
vehicle. If a similar 60-mpd pattern was found in the Connecticut
central state fleet, that would equate to about 1,000 non-emergency
vehicles.
In state governments, fleet managers could analyze their mpd
records to identify where electric vehicles can be substituted, based on
the daily single-charge ranges of the electric vehicle models they have
available. In the case of the CSLAB and ALAB cars, the longer-range
ALAB car, if it were shown to provide a reliable 70 mpd, would have the
greater potential as a substitute for gasoline-powered subcompacts in
the state fleet. A 70-mpd capability would provide a 10-mpd margin of
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