Mileage increase expected as drivers return to offices over winter

Company car use could increase this winter as more employees return to offices to avoid soaring energy costs.

The cost of heating a home is set to rise from October, due to increases in the energy price cap. Peter Golding, managing director of FleetCheck, said it will make the cost and effort of visiting the office much more attractive to many.

“This is unlikely to be a uniform trend and will depend very much on how much each individual’s heating bill has risen compared to the fuel cost of their commute – but the sums will undoubtedly add up for some,” Golding explained.

There will be at least a couple of potential effects for fleets. Working from home has been an overall mileage saver for fleets and if more employees start commuting, mileage will increase, which has a knock-on effect in terms of the amount of SMR needed.

Golding said: “The other is more subtle. Some company car drivers effectively became home workers during the pandemic and their journey to work was really no longer classed as a commute for risk management purposes. That situation could now reverse.”

FleetCheck had already picked up on anecdotal feedback that more EV company car drivers were heading into work to charge their vehicles as electricity costs had risen during recent months.

The cost of charging an EV at home is set to double, in October, when the new standard variable rate takes effect.

Golding added: “The picture regarding EV charging at work remains in flux and many businesses still give the power away to anyone who parks on their car park and wants to use it, whether it is for business or private mileage.

"This may have to change if more drivers use free company facilities for all of their charging needs.

"Electricity is becoming, or has perhaps already become, too expensive to be given away for non-work purposes.”