By Janis Prescott, head of EV marketing at Fleetcor, which includes UK brand Allstar

Janis Prescott, head of EV marketing at Fleetcor

I’ve had a great career in the automotive world that I’m very proud of, not least because it’s one that has led me to working with Allstar today, having recently joined as head of EV marketing. I’ve been at the forefront of some of the key turning points for the industry as it’s evolved from diesel to electric. What I’ve also seen is an evolution in the way women perceive the industry.

The impression continues today; I spoke to graduates recently on their perception of the automotive industry as a potential industry to work in and they saw it as being similar to where they’d experienced having their cars MOT’d: dark and dingy workshops, where they had to be interested in cars and to be able to talk about torque, horsepower and engine performance.

However, there are so many more roles available in this world, with marketing being one of them. It’s a common belief that the industry needs to appeal more to young women to play a part and be involved. However, I have seen no evidence yet to prove the industry needs more women, but inherently I believe the challenges ahead (to change the world of mobility) would benefit from a 50/50 balanced viewpoint.

This is because EVs – and, presumably, autonomous cars further into the future – move the conversation on to how cars are used more than the cliched ‘pub chat’ of what’s ‘under the bonnet’. EVs can be a great leveller to tempt more women into the industry as they offer a product that isn’t defined by its engine and the need, therefore, to have an interest in engineering: batteries are much more anonymous power sources. More people, and, hopefully more women, can move into the EV industry based on the next generation of a car’s defining strengths such as brand, styling, interior design, connectivity, economics, and patterns of use: more like an iPhone than an Italian sportscar – so you don’t have to love ‘cars’ , in their traditional, and traditionally male communicated, sense to be successful in the automotive industry. Car brands are becoming lifestyle brands.

At Allstar, I can take my experiences in previous roles and help the business make charging as convenient as possible for all EV drivers. I plan to look at the industry from a different perspective and try to understand better not why more women don’t engage with cars, specifically EVs, but how they engage with cars day-to-day.

Allstar’s unique proposition is working with company car drivers and fleet decision-makers to make their lives easier – especially given the targets for reducing emissions. Selling EVs to more women will be crucial, offering a unique opportunity to then tempt more women into the industry as a result hopefully.