Trip planning that takes into account the current age of the battery has a positive influence on the ultimate life of that battery. With the results of Fleetlife, a joint research project of TNO and Amber, leasing companies and fleet owners have an extra means of deploying their electric cars in a smart and sustainable manner.

"By attaching value to the remaining battery life when making a vehicle available, steering on optimum deployment is further rewarded," says TNO senior project manager Roel de Natris.

Electric vehicle fleets are experiencing explosive growth and this offers opportunities to deploy the fleet more optimally and load smarter. By taking advantage of the growing amount of data in the fleet, owners can make smart choices, increase battery life and save costs. The research shows that there are mainly benefits to be gained by:         

•  charge slower as long as the schedule allows,
• preheat or cool the battery before driving or charging,
• leave the battery at a lower charge level when the car is not in use.

Availability, planning and battery charge level currently determine the charging schedule and the deployment of the cars within a fleet. A customer is offered a car that has enough cargo for the currently planned trip; the current age of the battery is not included. Amber and TNO have now discovered that a trip planning that takes this into account can contribute to battery quality in the longer term and is therefore an effective way to reduce total costs.

It is not clear from this research how large the profit in life span is

"Because of the differences between the observed values ​​and the values ​​studied in the literature, it is not yet possible to quantify the extra life in total cost or battery cycles," says De Natris. 'This also means that the economic feasibility cannot be expressed in exact terms. So it is up to the users - like Amber - to decide whether the strategy now being tested deserves further development '. The main hurdle for Amber is that the lease company does not yet include the remaining battery capacity in the lease costs. "The result of our research gives every reason to discuss the battery life with relevant parties such as leasing companies."

Amber also sees opportunities for next steps

"To realize a future in which the electric vehicle is dominant, lowering the total running costs of electric vehicles is crucial," says CTO Joep Sloot. "An effective way to reduce these costs is to maximize battery life and we've seen that possible. Together with TNO we will investigate whether follow-up research is possible on Amber's fleet. We are pleased to play a role in improving the entire sector and thus also in the accessibility of electric driving to a wider audience. '

Photo above: from Amber media kit website.

Also read: Market consultation Municipality of The Hague for Electric Taxi Transport