Automotive Business Magazine – Q2 2026 – Digital edition - Magazine - Page 53
OPINION
FLEET
competitive edge
This level of infrastructure preparation
is where businesses create the conditions
for stable operating costs and smoother
day-to-day performance.
Critically, the fleets that establish
this foundation early gain long-term
resilience. When public charging
improves or new technologies emerge,
they’re positioned to integrate them
seamlessly. Those who delay must
reengineer systems at a significantly
higher cost.
Controlling costs, unlocking revenue
Once infrastructure is in place, the
operational advantage becomes
clearest in energy management.
Treating charging as a controllable
energy asset helps businesses
cut exposure to rising costs and
policy changes, while creating new
income streams.
Smart charging shifts consumption
to cheaper off-peak periods, and load
management helps avoid costly demand
charges. These strategies reduce
charging costs while also ensuring
vehicle readiness.
Businesses with flexible energy systems
can respond immediately: adjusting
charge times, optimising consumption,
and adapting to new pricing structures.
Those without flexibility either accept
higher running costs or face expensive
retrofits to catch up.
The revenue opportunity is growing,
too. Last winter, Drax operated as the
UK’s largest I&C-only provider of energy
flexibility through National Grid’s Demand
Flexibility Service, enabling managed
EV chargers to generate income during
periods of grid stress.
As Vehicle-to-Grid technology matures,
idle fleet vehicles will increasingly act as
flexible assets that support grid stability
while creating returns.
Businesses succeeding with
electrification don't wait for perfect
policy conditions or complete
infrastructure coverage. They build
→ Naomi Nye
is head of sales at Drax Electric Vehicles
A successful
electrification
programme depends on
having the right blend
of workplace, home and
public charging"
energy flexibility into their operations
now, securing installation capacity,
designing for future growth, and
implementing energy management
systems that create immediate savings.
This approach protects against policy
changes, controls operational costs,
and creates revenue opportunities that
competitors will eventually need to
retrofit at significantly higher expense.
The advantage isn't temporary – it
compounds as operations scale.
At Drax Electric Vehicles, we work with
organisations across the UK to build this
advantage from the start.
From strategic planning and
infrastructure design through to
energy management and long-term
operational support, we help businesses
treat electrification as the energy
infrastructure investment it truly is.
Q2 2026
AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS
53
