Inside EcoWheels: Fleet Electrification & Beyond

EcoWheels was a recipient of a 2021 Stevie® award. Here’s how our program for managing fuel costs grew into the award-winning sustainability solution it is today. 

EcoWheels Beginnings 

The Wheels EcoWheels program was developed, in part, as a response to the 2008 fuel crisis. Due to the exorbitant fuel prices, Wheels helped companies reduce their carbon footprint and increase fleet fuel efficiency through advanced reporting tools, EPA recommended vehicles, greenhouse gas emission reduction tips, “green” driver challenges and more.    

Evolving Client Needs 

Through the years, clients’ eco fleet needs were shifting. Instead of needing to reduce fuel costs they had companywide sustainability pledges. Many of these organizations had goals of zero carbon emissions by 2030, if not sooner.   

Wheels has optimized the EcoWheels program many times since it launched, but 2020 marked the introduction of a variety of new features. We enhanced the program to focus on a broader set of sustainability practices to help companies meet their organizations’ commitment to social responsibility. Today’s EcoWheels program is built around making a difference in the journey toward sustainability. This involves three pillars:  

1. A commitment of being clients’ long-term partner for their long-term focus 
2. Providing choice around different strategies and tactics to make an impact 
3. Engagement in terms of measuring and communicating progress toward clients’ goals.   

One of the newer tools within the EcoWheels program is the Electric Vehicle Assessment. It helps clients think about the various components of the fleet electrification journey such as goal alignment, vehicle analysis, driver assessment, policy consultation, driver support and change management. The program is always expanding with home-charging installation by Qmerit, as the latest addition. 

We help clients contemplate the various considerations such as charging infrastructure, range, residual values and more so there’s no surprises down the road. Additionally, we advise on a wealth of options for clients seeking to reduce their environmental footprint from mobility budgets and ride hailing to parking management and supplier green business practices.  

It’s all about goal alignment as sustainability is a long-term process. So when clients provide us with their goals, we’ll ensure all the building blocks are in place to help make that happen without interruption to driver productivity or satisfaction.