A bit of an odd topic, which was prompted by the following event which discusses
The government has set a target for all new vehicles under 3.5T to be zero emissions from 2030, and Cop26 has created an even stronger focus on the need for transport solutions with zero tailpipe emissions."
It is free to attend, you just need to register and an email is sent with link to click to join on the date of the event
(I have done a few of these on various topics and much like pre-Covid some are a bit hit and miss)
but I didnât post simply to share that event - it got me thinking other than all the same challenges an EV car has (range anxiety, limited range, time to âfill upâ (charge) etc) are their any other elements which may influence Squadrons with SOVs?
Does anyone know a Squadron with a SOEV (Squadron Owned Electric Vehicle) yet?
i can imagine the Acct4 is easier to sort out, as WEXOs donât pay the Unitâs electric bill, or at least wonât notice the difference, but that is only valid for journey that can be completed on the same charge. If travelling far enough where a âtop upâ charge was required or of benefit (say a trip to Duxford Museum or an AT weekend in the Brecon Beacons) would an Accts4 be used to approve the charge incurred for âfilling upâ?
and if so how will that happen. Given travel costs are based on a pence per mile basis would there need to be a change in approach for EV? Does 25p/mile cover a public charge point cost? or would the unit of reimbursement need to change, pence per kWh?
i recognise that the MOD is never going to be a leading light of being green given its raison dâĂȘtre and primary objection of supporting air power so this isnât likely to be a thought on the edge of a RAFAC/RAF/MOD priority list but what do we think needs to be considered to operate a SOEV over and above a private EV?
One potential issue could be the weight of a <3.5T minibus that people want to drive with a cat B and permit 19. I imagine a battery powered one will be a lot heavier, so the amount or people/cargo would be less if you want to keep it under 3.5T!
This is an interesting one. No where does it say that the 25p is to cover âfuelâ AFAIK. Itâs a to go towards all running costs of a car. At the moment EVs are/can be a lot more expensive and also have higher insurance. Although tax, âfuelâ and maintenance can be cheaper.
I thought they had altered the weight for E vehicles to 4 ton? I might be confusing vans and minibuses and not checked if permit 19 has its own limits.
Yes, delivery stuff only. And you also have to do a 5 hour training course too.
â(1) The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999(c) are amended as follows.
(2) After regulation 7(10), insertâ
â(11) A person who holds a relevant full licence authorising the driving of vehicles
included in category B, and who has undertaken a minimum of five hours training by a
registered instructor on the driving of an alternatively fuelled vehicle with a maximum
authorised mass exceeding 3,500 kilograms, may drive such a vehicle provided its
maximum authorised mass does not exceed 4,250 kilograms, when that vehicleâ
(a) is being driven for the purpose of transporting goods;
(b) is not being driven outside the territory of Great Britain;
(c) has no trailer attached.
All depends on your electrical setup. ÂŁ7/800 is a pretty normal price for an âeasyâ installation including the box itself. If however youâre in one of the more âtraditionalâ squadron huts then it can be as long as a piece of string depending on upgrades required to circuitry, rerouting etc.
You mentioned cost per mile earlier. If you used electric at 30p a kWh and got 2 miles per kW then a direct cost of 15p/mile. Servicing costs are pretty much nil. Thatâs worst case, depending on tariffs, access to any free chargers etc, most domestic users pay around 2p/mile or less for their driving. Albeit their vehicles will be lighter and therefore use less electric.
