A Guide to Electric Vehicle Driving Behaviour Analysis for Fleet Monitoring

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are increasingly gaining popularity as a climate-friendly alternative to conventional vehicles. Switching to EVs cut down on carbon emissions, particularly for industries that use large vehicle fleets, like taxi services or delivery services.

Of course, EVs require special care, and this is especially relevant for fleet vehicles that are used extensively by default. Maintaining the health of EV batteries, for example, is crucial. Battery longevity maximizes fleet operations’ efficiency and reduces ownership costs.

In this article, we’ll talk about the impact of driving behavior on EV battery life and how fleet operators can help their drivers be more efficient. We’ll also discuss the role of monitoring software in improving driving performance.

Driving Behaviour Analysis: A Critical Factor in EV Battery Health

Electric Vehicle batteries primarily use lithium-ion cells due to their high energy density, efficiency, and durability. While these batteries are designed to last, their performance and longevity are significantly influenced by driving behavior. Aggressive driving, such as rapid acceleration, sudden braking, and high-speed driving, can strain the battery by causing it to discharge quickly and generate excessive heat. This heat can degrade the battery’s internal components over time, reducing its overall capacity and lifespan.

Additionally, frequent fast charging—often used to accommodate aggressive driving habits—can lead to faster battery degradation. Fast charging involves high voltage, which can stress the battery cells, leading to thermal runaway and potential damage. On the other hand, consistent and moderate driving patterns help maintain battery health by reducing unnecessary stress and thermal fluctuations.

Another key factor is regenerative braking, which can be used to enhance battery efficiency. By using regenerative braking effectively, drivers can not only conserve power but also reduce wear on the braking system. Therefore, adopting smooth acceleration, avoiding sudden stops, and utilizing regenerative braking is essential for maximizing an EV battery’s lifespan and efficiency.

EV battery performance can be affected by several factors, particularly charging habits and environmental conditions. For instance, fast charging can be convenient, but the high voltage applied to the battery can damage it.

Batteries also tend to perform less optimally in very warm or very cold temperatures. However, the biggest drain on an EV battery comes from poor driving behavior.

Driving involves some elements of speeding up and slowing down, depending on the traffic. Aggressive driving behaviors, however, can put unnecessary pressure on the EV battery, increasing heat generation within the battery cells.

Over time, this excess heat accelerates the degradation of the battery’s chemical components, affecting its performance and even its lifespan. Moreover, frequent rapid acceleration depletes the battery more quickly, requiring more frequent charging cycles.

Fleet Driver Monitoring and Behaviour Analysis

For fleet operators, reliable driving behavior is critical not only to ensure good customer service but also to maximize the lifespan of the EVs. The longer the batteries last, the lower the maintenance or replacement costs involved and the less the vehicle downtime.

Good driving habits are also key to reducing the risk of accidents and improving the vehicle’s carbon footprint by reducing overall mileage.

Ways to optimize driving behavior for a fleet include:

• Driver education and training: Fleet operators can train their drivers on best practices to reduce stress on EV batteries, such as avoiding the fast lanes wherever possible and coasting to a stop rather than braking too fast. They should also be trained on basic safety tips like following traffic rules and being well-rested before long drives. 
• Regenerative braking: This captures the kinetic energy produced as the vehicle brakes and puts it back into the electric system, thus recharging the battery pack and reducing the energy lost as heat.
• Route optimization: Drivers can be trained to plot out their route beforehand to avoid too many detours. Many navigation systems will also indicate which routes are the most eco-friendly. Another option is to leave early to avoid having to drive too fast to be on time. 

Leveraging Technology: The Role of Driving Behavior Monitoring Systems

There are several technologies available to help monitor driving behavior:

• Fleet telematics, for instance, helps operators monitor each vehicle on a computerized map with a mixture of onboard diagnostics and GPS tracking. It can offer precise data on factors like idling, speed, braking patterns, driving behavior, and tyre pressure.

• A top-notch EV diagnostics system can also detect issues before the driver does and alert them in real-time, such as drops in tyre pressure or charging reminders.

• An IoT based EV monitoring system, which involves a sensor that observes the person behind the wheel and gives instant alerts if the driver displays inattentive behavior, is dozing off or has been driving rashly.

Key Benefits of Advanced Fleet Monitoring Software

For fleet operators seeking centralized control, several all-in-one monitoring software options are available today.

Monitoring software gives fleet operators real-time insights into each drive, helping them know exactly which behaviors are affecting EV battery life and thereby take action to avoid those behaviors:

1. Data collection

EV monitoring software captures essential driver behavior and converts these into intelligible metrics for the fleet operator. Based on these metrics, the operator can set standards for safe driving and “rank” their drivers against those standards. They can then identify those demonstrating rash or inefficient behaviors that could affect battery life and offer each driver the right guidance on what to avoid.

2. Performance analysis

Monitoring software can identify driving behaviors that could be impacting the battery life, even indirectly. Fleet operators should study the activity logs after each trip and encourage drivers to do the same to understand exactly where they might have deviated from good practices.

3. Predictive analysis

Based on usage patterns, a monitoring system can predict things like how much battery life is needed for a specific route (and thus when to schedule a charge) or when a vehicle tune-up might be in order.

It can also predict how specific drivers will behave on routes of different lengths, allowing fleet operators to assign the right driver for each job. Long overnight drives, for instance, can be assigned to those with reliable night-time behaviors and more experience overall. 

4. Driver feedback

Monitoring software can pick up on little inefficiencies in driving patterns and offer tips to avoid them. For instance, if a driver has a habit of unnecessarily speeding or braking too fast, the software can alert them before a journey to remind them to drive more cautiously or share early braking alerts to avoid harsh braking.

The system can also provide real-time updates on faster routes to take, nearby charging points, any malfunctions that need attention, or even suggestions on when to take a break if they have been driving for a while. 

5. Customisation options

The best EV monitoring software is user-friendly and customizable. The fleet operators should be able to customize the software interface for their vehicles according to their needs. This flexibility is essential because fleets often vary regarding vehicle types, driving conditions, and management priorities. Customization options enable operators to adjust the software’s interface and functionalities, ensuring the most relevant data is easily accessible. This could include configuring dashboards to highlight critical metrics like battery health, driver behavior, or route efficiency, depending on what the fleet operator deems most important.

Final Words

Electric Vehicles work best when driven steadily and smoothly, with an eye for things like unexpected braking or speed patterns. By upholding good driving habits, EV fleet operators can guarantee safe drives and avoid battery wear and tear. 

EV monitoring systems provide the timely and accurate insights a fleet operator needs to identify problematic behaviors and show drivers exactly how to improve. Investing in them can lead to improved cost savings, longer EV battery lives, as well as safer and more conscious drivers. 

If you are looking for data solutions for your EV business, let’s get connected and explore synergies.