LinkT&B Editorial Department
For a business fleet, start with annual mileage and the charging window after vehicles return. Compare purchase price, grants, electrical works, energy and resale value over the same period rather than relying on fuel savings alone.
Contents
Operating data to collect for each vehicle
| Item | What to check | How to assess it |
|---|---|---|
| Driving | Annual distance and longest daily route | Separate routine and peak days |
| Charging | Time between return and departure | Concurrent charging and supply capacity |
| Costs | Purchase, grants, energy, maintenance and sale | Use consistent five- and ten-year assumptions |
Distance and charging location determine fleet energy costs
A vehicle returning to its depot every day and one relying on public rapid charging can have very different costs. Record annual distance, return and departure times, and the available supply. Travel and waiting time for charging also affect business operations.
An illustrative 10,000-km annual comparison
Assume a petrol vehicle achieves 15 km/L at ¥165/L. For the EV, assume 6 km per battery kWh, 90% charging efficiency and ¥31 per purchased kWh. The electricity figure is a scenario input, not a quotation for a particular current tariff.
| Vehicle | Annual energy cost | Five years | Ten years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | ¥110,000 | ¥550,000 | ¥1,100,000 |
| Depot-charged EV | About ¥57,407 | About ¥287,037 | About ¥574,074 |
| Difference | About ¥52,593 | About ¥262,963 | About ¥525,926 |
This excludes vehicle purchase, charging infrastructure, additional capacity charges, insurance, tax, repairs and resale value. Multiplying by a larger fleet does not account for supply upgrades or simultaneous-charging demand. Energy savings alone are not the same as a reduction in total ownership cost.
For time-based tariffs, use actual charging power
If billing is per minute, lower energy delivery makes each kWh more expensive. Cold batteries, high states of charge and vehicle limits can all keep output below the charger’s nameplate rating. Subscription charges also weigh more heavily on low-mileage vehicles.
Check grants and residual value separately
Japan’s CEV grant varies by model and registration period. Corporate ownership does not automatically mean commercial registration; vehicles with commercial number plates can fall under a different programme. Check regional schemes at the vehicle’s registered base. Official CEV guidance.
Grant-funded vehicles have retention and disposal requirements. For short replacement cycles, check any repayment obligation. Future resale values and battery replacement costs cannot be assigned one universal figure: compare warranty, mileage and valuation conditions separately.
Measure one route before expanding
Record distance, purchased energy, charging cost and waiting time during a pilot. Include seasonal heating and cooling, payload and periods parked over holidays. The records should reveal whether a shortfall comes from vehicle consumption, charging prices or operational delays. LinkT&B supports charging-system selection and operating plans.
Discuss your project
We help plan charging equipment, authentication and management around vehicle use and parking time. Tell us about your fleet and existing facilities.