Cost of ownership calculator

[V8mate]

I run nine large (long & high) support vans at work and they're approaching replacement time.

Replacement diesel vans will cost £30-40k each depending on prevailing deals. Similar e-vans will cost c.£65k.

Is there an online calculator (or someone's nerdy Excel sheet) which will allow me to compare the two purchases, with respect to the appropriate asset, fuel and maintenance costs?

My directors just see a 50% uplift in initial cost and I want to demonstrate that there's more to it than that.

[Pica-Pica]

V8mate said:

I run nine large (long & high) support vans at work and they're approaching replacement time.

Replacement diesel vans will cost £30-40k each depending on prevailing deals. Similar e-vans will cost c.£65k.

Is there an online calculator (or someone's nerdy Excel sheet) which will allow me to compare the two purchases, with respect to the appropriate asset, fuel and maintenance costs?

My directors just see a 50% uplift in initial cost and I want to demonstrate that there's more to it than that.

Excel spreadsheets easily trump man-maths for proving anything you want to believe in.
(In your case, factor in the big stickers on the side promoting your company and its green credentials).

In all truth, you should know exactly what to put in a spreadsheet to justify any decision either way.
I have one for Air Sourced Heat Pump v LPG in a stone cottage- computer says no.

[EVLATECOMER]

V8mate said:

I run nine large (long & high) support vans at work and they're approaching replacement time.

Replacement diesel vans will cost £30-40k each depending on prevailing deals. Similar e-vans will cost c.£65k.

Is there an online calculator (or someone's nerdy Excel sheet) which will allow me to compare the two purchases, with respect to the appropriate asset, fuel and maintenance costs?

My directors just see a 50% uplift in initial cost and I want to demonstrate that there's more to it than that.

Do you buy or lease?

What mileage are the vans covering?

Do you know the real fuel and maintenance costs of your diesel fleet?

Are they operating or will they be operating in cities with charges like ULEZ, congestion charge?

Do your drives take them home and have BIK liabilities?

Are you aware of 100% capital allowances on electric vans?

[Europa Jon]

In the event of outright purchase, cost of ownership is unknown for just about all new EVs. Why? Well, resale value after 3 or 4 years is usually much higher than for ICE but depreciation estimates err on the side of caution. That's why EV leases are often very expensive.

[Bodo]

Europa Jon said:

In the event of outright purchase, cost of ownership is unknown for just about all new EVs. Why? Well, resale value after 3 or 4 years is usually much higher than for ICE but depreciation estimates err on the side of caution. That's why EV leases are often very expensive.

So, from business risk point of view it's a gamble that even lease companies won't take.

[vindaloo79]

Will you realise any benefit from risk of Catalytic Converted theft with EV van? Obvs not such a risk if they are in a secure place when not in use, for example.

[annodomini2]

Europa Jon said:

In the event of outright purchase, cost of ownership is unknown for just about all new EVs. Why? Well, resale value after 3 or 4 years is usually much higher than for ICE but depreciation estimates err on the side of caution. That's why EV leases are often very expensive.

EV leases that are business compatible are inflated due to government funding for BEVs for company vehicles.

They're milking the system.

[V8mate]

I think it's really interesting that in trying to be helpful, you've all been almost universally unhelpful and that shows just how difficult it is for people to make objective purchasing decisions.

Within the realm of commercial vehicles especially, where objective decision-making is, arguably, even more important than with private purchases, I really would have expected a reasonably rigorous resource to have been available.

[Krikkit]

Problem is it's a very specific calculation to how they'll be used, what works for one won't work for you.

That and it's not difficult to draw one up for yourself.

[Pica-Pica]

V8mate said:

I think it's really interesting that in trying to be helpful, you've all been almost universally unhelpful and that shows just how difficult it is for people to make objective purchasing decisions.

Within the realm of commercial vehicles especially, where objective decision-making is, arguably, even more important than with private purchases, I really would have expected a reasonably rigorous resource to have been available.

With regards the last sentence, I would have thought a commercial fleet membership group, or magazines, or organisations would have this sussed.

I also think that even with commercial vehicle purchases, there are also much subjective decisions being made, image being one of them.

In truth, it should be thought of like any other asset and what benefits it brings for the outlay, and what else could do the job as well.

[LordFlathead]

Approach it from another angle - go to the van manufacturers and ask them to provide the comparison data against ICE versions. They must have had it in order to create the vehicle in the first place!

Rinse and repeat with all the EV van OEM's and post what you find here.. should be an interesting read!

[TheRainMaker]

V8mate said:

I run nine large (long & high) support vans at work and they're approaching replacement time.

Replacement diesel vans will cost £30-40k each depending on prevailing deals. Similar e-vans will cost c.£65k.

Are you talking about Crafter type vans?

[MDL111]

No clue if it exists, but can’t be all that difficult to build one yourself as it is mostly input driven.
As I see it, you have the advantage of having real empirical data for your diesel vans over 5e relevant length of time period, so you now just need to compare it with costs for EV vans / some parts will likely be similar such as tyres, others obviously very different such as electricity vs fuel cost
Talk to your accountant about tax implications / impact as well

[V8mate]

I don't have even basic data for the e-vans though.

e.g. cost to recharge and how many miles I'd typically get from a charge.


And how many miles between oil changes

[350Matt]

I've just done this excercise
all you really need to know is the cost per mile for the vehicles your're comparing

for example I was considering making the plunge into lekky and only really interested about cost savings

so If I was to replace my Mini cooper S that's all paid for and does 35 mpg wihch at £1.50 / ltr works out at 19 p/mile + road tax or course
then to compare it with the cost of a lease on a new VW E! up that only costs 5.7p/mile to run ( if charging at a cheap rate)
however you must also consider the cost of installing a wall charger and the required deposit on the lease

so this is about £1100 for a 7Kw domestic wall charger less the £500 grant and the deposit is £2300
then the monthly lease is £380....


so at current fuel and energy prices it woudl take 27 months for the cost of the charger and deposit to be covered with my monthly milage of 750 miles
with a reduction of about £120 /month in running costs but then it would cost more to run each month anyway due to the reasonably high monthly lease

so not for me right now anyway
until there is a used market that has something of interest and doens't start at 5K for a knackered leaf
I'll be staying with dino juice

Edited by 350Matt on Monday 27th December 22:02

[SWoll]

V8mate said:

I don't have even basic data for the e-vans though.

e.g. cost to recharge and how many miles I'd typically get from a charge.


And how many miles between oil changes

Would a quick google not answer all your questions rather than waiting days for replies here?

[SWoll]

350Matt said:

I've just done this excercise
all you really need to know is the cost per mile for the vehicles your're comparing

for example I was considering making the plunge into lekky and only really interested about cost savings

so If I was to replace my Mini cooper S that's all paid for and does 35 mpg wihch at £1.50 / ltr works out at 19 p/mile + road tax or course
then to compare it with the cost of a lease on a new VW E! up that only costs 5.7p/mile to run ( if charging at a cheap rate)
however you must also consider the cost of installing a wall charger and the required deposit on the lease

so this is about £1100 for a 7Kw domestic wall charger less the £500 grant and the deposit is £2300
then the monthly lease is £380....


so at current fuel and energy prices it woudl take 27 months for the cost of the charger and deposit to be covered with my monthly milage of 750 miles
with a reduction of about £120 in running costs but then it would cost more to run each month anyway due to the reasonably high monthly lease

not for me right now anyway
until there is a used market that has something of interest and doens't start at 5K for a knackered leaf
I'll be staying with dino juice

£380 a month for a VW e-Up with a £2300 deposit? And why would you need a 7kW charger to cover < 200 miles per week?



A 3-pin plug would add 10mph of range, so an easy 70-80 miles per night. And what cheap rate are you on for 5.7p per mile to be the cost?

[350Matt]

those prices were form a VW dealer so I'd agreee they can be improved upon
so is that lease deal with no deposit at all ?

any yes you're right I could go the granny charger route
Still works out more expensive though