Fleet electrification

How to charge your vehicle

The EV’s charging port is usually located at the front or rear on the driver's side of the vehicle.

1. Press down on the charging port’s cover to open port.
2. Plug the charging cord into the port.
3. If you are at a private station: Use your FLO RFID to initiate charge. If you are at public station: Use the WEX/ChargePoint card.
4. After charge initiates, allow your vehicle to charge. Lock your vehicle before walking away. This also locks the charging cable to your vehicle.
5. DC chargers should be disconnected after reaching full charge. Leaving it plugged in can degrade the battery.

Will electric vehicles provide enough range for me to complete daily job requirements?

Today’s electric vehicles can exceed 300 miles on a single charge under normal conditions.

Greater range on single charge is expected as the technology matures.

Contingency planning will ensure that operations are not disrupted by electric vehicle range limitations.

Tips for maximizing driving range and battery percentage

• As with gas-powered vehicles, always monitor your fuel use/range as you plan your work.
• The rate of acceleration can also affect battery range. Accelerate from stop at a safe pace.
• Charge between uses.
• When the battery/range gets down to 30%-40% consider finding a charging station and re-charge.
• Like an internal combustion engine vehicle, using the air conditioner and heating system will impact the range of an EV.
• Pre-heat or -cool the cabin of your EV before driving. Turn your vehicle on and start the heat or AC while it’s plugged in and charging.
• During extreme temperatures, try to avoid “blasting” your A/C or heater while the vehicle is in use.
• Keep tires inflated to manufacturer recommendations to help maintain expected range.

Do batteries maintain a charge in subzero temperatures?

Driving ranges can degrade up to 20% in subzero temperatures. That does not mean they will. Battery manufacturers and industry researchers are developing innovative technology to combat excessive cold. A range of factors contribute to how the temperature will affect the vehicle, including the model of EV you drive, how new it is and more. EVs planned for release will be equipped with innovative technologies such as heat pumps to make EVs more efficient in fluctuating temperatures.

Check your vehicle's manual to see if it offers pre-conditioning. This will allow you to pre-condition the cabin and the battery for driving while it is still plugged into the EV charger.

What is the battery life of an EV?

A typical battery's life is eight to 10 years, but can vary based on battery size, weather conditions, driving habits and maintenance.

What will happen to the battery at the end of its life span? Is it recyclable?

Innovative technologies are emerging to improve battery performance, life span and recycling. Battery minerals can be extracted and reused to make new batteries. Even at the end of a battery’s useful life in an EV, it can still provide significant backup storage to the grid, so we are investigating other ways to repurpose used batteries.

What will we electrify?

We will transition our active light-duty vehicles to battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. This includes sedans, SUV's, passenger vans, half-ton pickup trucks and forklifts.  Locations that are up for transition will have EV chargers installed prior to the arrival of electric vehicles.

Where will we electrify our fleet?

We will transition vehicles used in Energy Delivery, Operations, Generation and Corporate Services facilities in Iowa and Wisconsin.

Who will receive electric vehicles?

We will assign electric vehicles to employees who operate an internal combustion fleet vehicle. This includes passenger vehicles, SUVs and half-ton or less pickup trucks.

How will we assign electric vehicles?

We will deploy electric vehicles in waves to several locations with internal combustion vehicles that are up for replacement each year.

We plan to deploy electric vehicles according to the number of replacements needed, job responsibilities and locations.

We will notify sites and individuals before we transition their vehicles.

Will electric vehicles provide enough range for me to complete daily job requirements?

Today’s electric vehicles can exceed 300 miles on a single charge under normal conditions. Greater range on single charge is expected as the technology matures. Contingency planning will ensure that operations are not disrupted by electric vehicle range limitations.

Will we install charging stations at each site prior to vehicle delivery?

Yes, we coordinated the vehicle delivery schedule with charging station installation at each site. The goal is to install chargers ahead of vehicle delivery. Each facility will be assessed for its capacity to support chargers prior to installation.

How will I charge my EV if I don’t report to an operations facility on a regular basis?

EV users will have a variety of public charging options available to them. Over time, EV charging locations will increase across our service territory, and recharging an EV will not be much different than refueling today’s combustion vehicles.

Facilities is working hard to build out the EV charging infrastructure ahead of the EV deliveries. The provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act will rapidly accelerate the public charging network within the communities that we serve.

When can we expect charging stations to be installed at substations?

Our plans do not currently include installing charging stations at substations, but we are open to doing so as needed. We encourage feedback to better enable us to consider additional charging station locations.

What are the fuel cost savings of an EV?

The cost to charge an electric vehicle is equivalent to $1.06 per gallon on average. The cost of gas by comparison is currently about $3.50 per gallon. In addition to fuel savings, EVs do not require oil changes and require less maintenance due to fewer engine fluids and combustion/heat elements.

Aside from one-off issues, the only regular maintenance required on EVs is a tire rotation. Different manufacturers have different recommendations for how many miles to go between rotations. Consult your vehicle's manual for more information.