Speed of charging is key factor in choosing fleet EVs

Published 8th July 2025

Is range the key consideration for you when you’re choosing your next business vehicle?

That certainly used to be the case, but with the average range of new electric cars running to nearly 300 miles, range is becoming less of the deciding factor.

But for drivers out on the road, speed of electron refill is what’s really important - getting as much range into the battery as quickly as possible during a driving break.

The research has been conducted by one of Gateway2Lease’s partners, Arval UK, through its annual Arval Mobility Observatory Barometer.

Research showed that 69% named speed of charging as the prime consideration compared to efficiency (measured in miles per kilowatt hour) at 66% and range at 60%.

John Peters, Head of Arval Mobility Observatory in the UK, said that the results reflected an increased understanding of EVs among fleet operators.

“Speed of charging was our top response to this question last year and has maintained a similar level of importance in 2025, falling only 1% to 69%,” he said. “The ability to charge quickly remains useful, especially for drivers without their own charging and those who are covering higher miles. “

Many car makers are focusing more and more on speed of charging, helped by the introduction of new 800v architecture.

This helps deliver the same amount of power from an EV charger with half the current, which means there is less heat build up which helps to deliver faster charging.

Cars such as the new Volvo ES90, Kia EV9 and Porsche Macan EV all feature 800v technology.

Recently Chinese car maker BYD said it was working on the ability to charge an EV in just five minutes - about the same time as it takes to fill a fossil-fuelled car. While this technology will be restricted to China for the moment, such are the speed of technological advancements, it may not be long before we see the tech coming over to the UK.

John Peters added that the Arval Mobility Observatory Barometer data showed that fleet managers were becoming more experienced in choosing EVs and assessing which factors are most important for their charging needs.

“The main takeaway here is a decreased level of concern about all three metrics and this is simply because, we believe, operating EVs is becoming normal for businesses. Fleet managers are less stressed about the technology thanks to operational experience that shows it works in most applications.”