The time it takes to service electric vans is generally shorter than for ICE and hybrid models, according to data from Epyx.
However, the software firm said this picture was reversed when it came to overall vehicle off-road (VOR) times.
Data from Epyx’s 1link Service Network for the first four years of a vehicle’s life shows that in year one, average servicing times for electric vans are 0.74 hours, followed by ICE at 1.05 and hybrid at 1.15, with these figures rising to 0.89, 1.15 and 1.39 hours respectively in year two, and 1.12, 1.17, and 1.41 hours in year three. In year four, ICE shows the best performance at 1.19 hours, followed by electric at 1.41 and hybrid at 1.42.
Epyx CCO Tim Meadows said: “It’s important to put some caveats around this data. While 1link Service Network is used by fleet operators totalling more than five million vehicles to manage their SMR needs, the numbers of electric and hybrids vans on the platform are relatively low – they have only really entered the market in the last couple of years. That should be kept in mind when looking at the data.
“However, what we are seeing so far is very much in line with what has long been predicted by SMR experts. There is a strong technical argument that while electric vans are more expensive to buy, their reduced number of wear parts should mean that they spend less time being serviced, and the data is bearing that out in general terms.
“It’s interesting to look at the performance of hybrids, too. Of course, these are vehicles that use two forms of motive power with the added complication that brings, so are potentially going to need more workshop attention, and the figures are bearing this out.”
When it comes to VOR – the time spent between when a vehicle enters and leaves a workshop – the year one average for ICE vans is 1.82 hours, with electric at 1.96 and hybrid at 2.14. In year two, the figures are 2.00 hours for ICE, 2.06 hours for hybrid, and 2.07 hours for electric.
From year three, hybrid shows the best times, with 2.10 hours, ahead of ICE at 2.21 hours and electric at 2.56 hours. For year four, these figures rise to 2.38, 2.63, and 2.91 hours respectively.
Meadows said: “Again, it’s important to caveat these findings. In many respects, the servicing infrastructure behind electric vans is in a relatively early stage of development, while parts supply is often reported to not yet be as good as for ICE and hybrid vehicles. That will unavoidably have an effect on VOR times.
“However, the rate of change when it comes to the electrification of the fleet market means that this is a very dynamic picture and could change quite quickly.
“We plan to re-run this data in a few months and it will be interesting to see how the picture has developed then.”
