For many businesses, fleet strategy is no longer a simple choice between petrol and diesel. Today’s reality is far more complex. Internal combustion (ICE), hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs) are now operating side by side within the same fleets, with each bringing their own cost profile, maintenance requirements and operational considerations.
This shift is not temporary. It is structural. And for SMEs and fleet operators, it is creating a new layer of complexity that requires a more informed and data-led approach to aftercare.
One fleet, three very different risk profiles
At a glance, mixed powertrain fleets offer flexibility. Businesses can balance fuel efficiency, emissions targets and vehicle suitability across different roles.
But beneath that flexibility sits a more challenging truth – each powertrain behaves differently when it comes to reliability, repair frequency and cost.
ICE vehicles continue to deliver predictable performance, but rising repair costs are changing the economics. Average claim values have increased from £632.10 to £679.24 year on year, driven by both parts pricing and labour inflation.
EVs, on the other hand, are showing strong reliability in some areas, with models such as the Nissan Leaf recording claim rates as low as 1.52%.
But when faults do occur, they are often tied to specialist systems, from thermal management to charging components, which can carry higher repair costs and longer diagnostic times.
Hybrids sit somewhere in between, combining elements of both – but also introducing dual-system complexity that can increase diagnostic and repair requirements.
For fleet managers, this creates three distinct risk profiles operating within a single business.
The maintenance model is no longer uniform
Historically, fleet maintenance could be standardised. Service intervals, component wear and failure patterns were broadly consistent across vehicles.
That consistency is disappearing. ICE vehicles are increasingly driven by emissions systems, sensors and electronics.
EVs are introducing new wear patterns, particularly around suspension due to increased vehicle weight, with components such as anti-roll bar links now one of the most common sources of failure.
At the same time, components like air conditioning compressors – now integral to EV thermal management – are emerging as high-cost repairs, often exceeding £1,000 per claim.
The result is that maintenance planning can no longer follow a single schedule. Fleets must now account for different failure points, different cost triggers and different servicing strategies depending on the vehicle type.
Labour and skills are becoming a bottleneck
One of the most overlooked challenges in mixed fleets is not the vehicles themselves, but the infrastructure required to support them.
Labour rates are rising, with average hourly costs increasing from £65.63 to £68.51, alongside longer repair times as diagnostics become more complex.
At the same time, the skills required to service EVs and hybrids are more specialised. Not every workshop is equipped to handle high-voltage systems or advanced diagnostics, which can lead to longer downtime and reduced flexibility in repair networks.
For businesses reliant on vehicle uptime, this is a critical issue. Delays are no longer just about parts availability – they are increasingly about access to the right expertise.
Downtime risk is becoming less predictable
Mixed fleets also introduce variability in downtime risk. ICE vehicles tend to follow more established failure patterns, allowing for relatively predictable maintenance planning.
EVs and hybrids, however, can present more sporadic fault profiles, particularly as newer systems age in real-world conditions.
At the same time, when high-value failures do occur – across any powertrain – the financial exposure can be significant.
Claims data shows that individual repairs can exceed £10,000, particularly where complex systems or multiple components are involved.
For SMEs and smaller fleets, this level of unpredictability can have a direct impact on cash flow and operational continuity.
Aftercare strategy must evolve with the fleet
The key takeaway is clear – managing a mixed powertrain fleet is not just about vehicle selection. It is about aftercare strategy.
Businesses need to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach and towards a more segmented model, where maintenance, protection and cost planning are tailored to each powertrain type.
This includes understanding real-world claims data by vehicle type and model, aligning servicing strategies to different failure patterns, building relationships with repair networks that can support all powertrains and using warranty and protection products to manage cost volatility
In this environment, aftercare is no longer a support function. It is a core part of fleet performance.
From complexity to control
Mixed powertrain fleets are here to stay. As the transition to electrification continues, most businesses will operate a combination of ICE, hybrid and EV vehicles for the foreseeable future.
The challenge is not to eliminate that complexity, but to manage it.
Those businesses that embrace data-led decision making, adapt their maintenance strategies and plan for multiple risk profiles will be better positioned to control costs, reduce downtime and maintain operational resilience.
Because in today’s fleet landscape, it is not the type of vehicle that defines success – it is how well you manage what sits behind it.
Steph Newbery is group director at Warranty Solutions Group
