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Wates accelerates decarbonisation plans with electric fleet investment

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Wates is speeding ahead with plans to decarbonise its commercial van fleet with a major investment to replace 45 small diesel, supervisor vans with new electric cars.

The new electric cars will be used across the Group’s UK-wide fit-out, refurbishment and maintenance services for social housing properties and non-domestic buildings.

Forming part of a long-term plan to electrify its full fleet of commercial vehicles, the investment will be followed by a further 45 electric vehicles in 2024 with a target to electrify 100% of Wates’ supervisor vehicles by the end of 2025.

Decarbonising its service vans forms part of Wates’ Environmental Sustainability Plan and moves the Group closer to its target of becoming carbon neutral in its Group-wide operations by 2025 for its Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

David Morgan, Executive Managing Director of Wates Property Services, said: “In 2021 we introduced the first electric vehicles to our service van fleet, which was an important step in reducing our carbon footprint. We are now making great strides across the group, both in terms of our own operations and the work we are doing on behalf of our customers to decarbonise their buildings.”

Bekir Andrews, Environmental Sustainability Director of Wates Group, added: “Replacing the vans is an important milestone and one of many more to come in reducing our direct carbon emissions as well as helping do our bit to improve local air quality. We have been trialling different electrically powered vans for our operatives and have already started replacing diesel vans where vehicle range and charging infrastructure allow. For our wider company car fleet, we have already introduced measures to phase out combustion engines. We are collaborating with our supply chain partners, customers and industry to meet our near-term science-based targets and progress towards net-zero by 2045.”

The WhichEV View: Volta Trucks signals ambition with new Service Hub in London

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By WhichEV

Volta Trucks, the all-electric commercial vehicle manufacturer and services provider, has celebrated the official opening of its innovative Truck as a Service Hub in Tottenham, London.

The event was attended by controversial Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan as well as Tottenham MP Rt. Hon. David Lammy, industry leaders, key customers, and stakeholders.

Situated on White Hart Lane in Tottenham, the cutting-edge facility marks the first of its kind in the UK. It is designed to be the primary destination for routine servicing and maintenance of electric vehicles in the London area.

The state-of-the-art hub offers comprehensive support to fleet operators transitioning to electric trucks, featuring administrative offices and a Volta Trucks Academy Training centre, as well as a customer call centre providing round-the-clock assistance and technical support for the trucks that we saw being built during our visit earlier this year.

Read the full story over at WhichEV…

Mina partners with Lightfoot to launch industry-leading solution to EV charging fraud

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Mina, the award-winning payment solution provider for EV charging at home and in public, and Lightfoot, the pioneering driver coaching and rewards technology specialists, have joined forces to launch a market-leading solution that will help stamp out EV charging fraud within electric fleets.

With a rising number of fleets transitioning to electric vehicles, energy fraud is a growing concern within the industry, especially where domestic charging is involved.

EV payment experts Mina already offer a comprehensive system for accurately paying drivers’ charging costs directly to their energy suppliers, but now through this new partnership with Lightfoot, fleet operators can rest assured that all charging sessions for business journeys have been automatically validated, ensuring that only commercial charges are reimbursed.

Find out more here: https://www.lightfoot.co.uk/news/2022/10/03/mina-and-lightfoot-partner/

Strategic partnership looks to accelerate transition to electric vehicles in the workplace

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Durham-based, Anglo Scottish Asset Finance, is partnering with Diode, an electric vehicle (EV) suitability assessment software platform, to help break down the barriers to EV adoption and drive forward electrification in the workplace.

The partnership has been spearheaded by Charlotte Enright, business development manager and sustainability lead at Anglo Scottish Asset Finance.

Following discussions with Diode, which was established in 2020 in response to the climate change emergency and is a recipient of Innovate UK and Department for Transport grant funding, the two companies are partnering to provide a full circle service for businesses looking to invest in EVs.

Diode, an innovative web-based software platform that provides an all-in-one solution to help businesses, employees and consumers assess their electric vehicle suitability, generate a tailored charge point roll-out plan and purchase charge points through an automated tender process, identified that initial investment for many businesses would require finance and, as such, the relationship between the two companies was agreed.

The partnership coincides with the recent publication of the government’s UK Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy. Included, was a £1.6 billion commitment towards achie3ving a tenfold increase in charge points by 2030, which will accelerate the government’s aim to end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 and ensure all new cars and vans are zero-emission by 2035.

With the average driver needing to charge for approximately seven hours per week at a standard 7kW charge point, installing charge points at workplaces will be a critical component if the target is to be achieved.

Established in 2007 and with headquarters in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, Anglo Scottish is an independent business finance broker, providing a range of financial services across the UK including asset finance, business loans and vendor and dealer finance, as well as personal vehicle solutions and vehicle sourcing.

Dan Eyre, co-founder and COO, Diode, said: “At current petrol and electricity prices, the cost per mile for electric vehicles is about half that of an equivalent petrol vehicle.

“The high upfront costs of the vehicles and charge points can put businesses and drivers off making the switch and is why finance options are so important, because it means our customers can start taking advantage of low-cost electric driving from day one.

“More than 90% of the drivers that complete our Electric Vehicle Readiness Assessment are in the position to make the switch. For some businesses, they may choose to make a full transition then and there, whilst others may wish to go at a slower pace. Diode can help companies that fit in to both of these groups and with Anglo Scottish as our finance partner, customers will quickly reap the benefits, both in terms of cost savings and accelerating their transition to electric vehicles.”

Charlotte Enright, sustainability lead, Anglo Scottish Asset Finance, said: “Recent figures published by The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders highlighted a huge increase in sales of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in 2021. In fact, more new battery electric vehicles were registered than over the previous five years combined. Interestingly, there were 190,727 battery electric vehicles and 114,554 plug-in hybrids, meaning 18.5% of all new cars registered in 2021 could be plugged in.

“As part of the UK’s transition to electric vehicles, Diode has identified the need for a streamlined, simple, data driven platform that requires very little in terms of time investment. Results are quick and the benefits for businesses that work with the platform are huge.

“Once employees have completed their assessments, and businesses have generated their roll-out plans, thoseseeking finance are directed to Anglo Scottish, where we will find the best possible finance deals for electric vehicles and charging stations, via our vast panel of lenders.

David Foster, managing director, Anglo Scottish Asset Finance, said: “As we continue to strengthen our sustainable finance offering, with the aim of becoming the leading provider in the UK, we need look no further than the current investment taking place within electrification.

“For many, the journey towards making workplace operations sustainable will be on-going and Anglo Scottish aims to make this transition as smooth as possible, both for existing and new customers.”

Oxford to get ‘Europe’s most powerful’ EV charging hub

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UK-based Pivot Power, part of EDF Renewables, and Oxford City Council have joined up with Fastned, Tesla Superchargers and Wenea to deliver what they are calling Europe’s most powerful EV charging Superhub.

The hub, initially featuring 38 fast and ultra-rapid chargers in a single site, is the most powerful in Europe – with up to 10MW of power on site – and will scale up to help meet the need for EV charging in the area for the next 30 years. It is the first of up to 40 similar sites planned across the UK to help deliver charging infrastructure needed for the estimated 36 million EVs by 2040.

Unlike any other UK charging hub, the site, at Redbridge Park & Ride, is directly connected to the high voltage national electricity grid, to provide the power needed to charge hundreds of EVs at the same time quickly, without putting strain on the local electricity network or requiring costly upgrades.

This network, developed by Pivot Power, has capacity to expand to key locations throughout Oxford to meet mass EV charging needs, from buses and taxis to commercial fleets.

Fastned will initially install ten chargers at the Superhub with 300kW of power, capable of adding 300 miles of range in just 20 minutes for up to hundreds of EVs per day. The station will be powered by 100% renewable energy, partly generated by the company’s solar roof, and all makes and models of EVs will be able to charge at the highest rates possible simultaneously.

The announcement is a key milestone in the completion of Energy Superhub Oxford (ESO), due to open in Q4 this year, and comes as Oxford is set to launch the UK’s first Zero Emission Zone this August, where vehicles are charged based on their emissions, with EVs able to use the zone for free.

The £41m world-first project, led by Pivot Power, integrates EV charging, battery storage, low carbon heating and smart energy management technologies to support Oxford to be zero carbon by 2040 or earlier. ESO will save 10,000 tonnes of CO2 every year once opened later in 2021, equivalent to taking over 2,000 cars off the road, increasing to 25,000 tonnes by 2032. It provides a model for cities around the UK and the world to cut carbon and improve air quality.

Matt Allen, CEO at Pivot Power, said: “Our goal is to help the UK accelerate net zero by delivering power where it is needed to support the EV and renewable energy revolution. Oxford is one of 40 sites we are developing across the UK, combining up to 2GW of battery storage with high volume power connections for mass EV charging. Energy Superhub Oxford supports EDF’s plan to become Europe’s leading e-mobility energy company by 2023, and is a blueprint we want to replicate right across the country, working hand in hand with local communities to create cleaner, more sustainable cities where people want to live and work.”

Councillor Tom Hayes, Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford at Oxford City Council, added: “For Oxford to go zero carbon by 2040, we need to electrify a lot more of our transportation. As an innovative city embracing technologies and change, Oxford is the natural home for the UK’s largest public EV charging hub. We are excited to be taking a major step forward in the completion of Energy Superhub Oxford, working closely and superbly with our private sector partners. As an ambitious city, we are excited about the prospect of further innovation and investments, building upon our record of transformational public and private sector delivery.”

Government plans to cut carbon emissions and improve air quality will see millions of EVs in use by 2030, and the project will show how this can be achieved while maintaining a stable and cost-effective electricity network. To accelerate the delivery of ESO, the Government has contributed £10 million to the project via UKRI’s Prospering from the Energy Revolution programme.

Tesco’s free retail EV charging network hits 500,000 charges

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The UK’s largest free retail electric car charging network has hit 500,000 charges – providing more than 10 million miles of complimentary carbon neutral motoring.

Tesco, in partnership with Volkswagen and Pod Point, is installing free charging points at 600 supermarkets around the UK as part of their commitment to improving electric car charging infrastructure.

The partnership has now provided its 500,000th free top-up – and during this period the company says 3 million kWh of free, carbon neutral electricity has been given out – enough power to drive an all-electric Volkswagen ID.4 SUV around 10.4 million miles.

Based on the average new petrol or diesel car sold in the UK, the scheme has reduced carbon emissions by approximately 2,120 tonnes – the same as more than 2,770 acres of forest will manage in a year.

The announcement was welcomed by Transport Secretary and EV owner Grant Shapps, who said: “As we accelerate towards a cleaner and greener transport future, it’s great to see one of Britain’s most iconic household names leading the way with electric vehicle chargepoints.

“In the time it takes to pick up the groceries, drivers up and down the country can now quickly and easily charge their cars and with £2.5bn of government support to encourage their take-up, there has never been a better time to switch to an EV.”

The Tesco Extra in Slough has been the busiest supermarket for free charging – with the sockets used more than 10,000 times.

It finished ahead of Tesco supermarkets in Stourbridge, Crawley, Altrincham and Bromley by Bow in the top five.

Making up the rest of the top 10 were the Tesco supermarkets in Watford, Orpington, Elmers End, Havant and Lichfield.

Director of Volkswagen, Andrew Savvas, said: “Our partnership with Tesco and Pod Point emphasises our commitment to carbon neutral mobility for all and we’re delighted to have reached this milestone – helping owners of all electric car brands top up with free renewable energy while they’re doing their grocery shop.”

Tony Hoggett, chief operating officer at Tesco, said: “We are committed to reducing carbon emissions in all our operations and aim to be carbon neutral in the UK 2035.

“As part of this we want to encourage our customers to play their part with the rollout of free-to-use EV chargers to 600 of our stores.

“Providing customers with charging points offers them a sustainable choice and giving them the opportunity to charge their car for free while they shop is a little help to make this easier.”

The partnership, which has been running for two years, was announced to improve the charging infrastructure as the UK prepares for an electric future.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, 108,205 battery electric vehicles were registered in the UK in 2020, an increase of 185 per cent on 2019.

They can use the 7kW chargers along with 22kW rapid chargers where available for free, while 50kW rapid chargers are available for the market rate.

Erik Fairbairn, Pod Point Founder and CEO, added:  “Reaching the 500,000 charges milestone is testament to the growing appetite for EVs as well as the ease and convenience of the charging experience.

“The partnership is making great strides towards our goal of delivering the nation’s largest retail EV charging network – one that is reliable, accessible, secure and free making it even easier for drivers to choose electric and accelerate adoption.

“We look forward to powering up even more local areas as we continue our roll out.”

bp pulse confirms ultra-fast charging hubs rollout

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bp pulse is to expand its ultra-fast EV charging infrastructure significantly across the UK, with a series of new charging hubs developed in partnership with The EV Network (EVN). 

Electrification is at the heart of bp’s convenience and mobility strategy with the company aiming to double the size of the bp pulse network in the UK to 16,000 charge points by 2030, with a particular emphasis on ultra-fast chargers. The total amount of charging on the bp pulse network is set to grow 30-fold by 2030. 

bp pulse says it’s committed to developing the country’s charging infrastructure for fleets and consumers. The new hubs will be a key part of the company’s ambition to deliver fast and convenient charging for the growing number of EV drivers.  

The agreement is expected to deliver a significant number of new ultra-fast EV charging destinations in the areas with high volumes of traffic. The sites will be developed by EVN with each having a range of ultra-fast charging bays and some becoming EV convenience and mobility hubs with food, drink and other facilities on offer to drivers as they charge.  

Matteo de Renzi, CEO of bp pulse, said: “We are building a charging network that will give consumers the confidence to make the switch to EVs, knowing they can get the charge they need in the right places. We’re taking another step forward in our commitment to make ultra-fast charging widely accessible across the UK, including in easy reach of the motorway network. These new hubs will complement bp pulse’s existing plans to expand the number of ultra-fast chargers on bp’s forecourts and it’s exciting to be launching this new additional option for drivers.” 

Reza Shaybani, co-founder and CEO of EVN said: “This ground-breaking agreement with bp pulse has got 2021 off to a racing start. As the largest public charge point operator in the market, bp pulse is a perfect partner for EVN to deliver critically required EV charging infrastructure nationwide. Together we will be fuelling growth in a vital part of the UK’s green economy, making a reliable national network of EV charging stations a reality for fast growing number of Electric Vehicle drivers.” 

Nexus electrifies rental with launch of first single source online EV booking platform

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Nexus Vehicle Rental has launched a new dedicated electric vehicle (EV) online rental platform for business use as part of its revamped IRIS V5 rental management system. In addition to the dedicated EV rental dashboard, IRIS users can expect a revised look and feel to the technology. 

The launch of Nexus’ EV rental platform will enable businesses to meet the rising demand for alternative, cleaner mobility solutions and it is a first within the corporate rental market. 

David Brennan, CEO at Nexus Vehicle Rental, said: “By launching the UK’s first online electric vehicle (EV) rental platform for business use, Nexus is leading the way. It is a big decision for businesses to switch to EVs and sensible phasing in is needed. The dedicated platform eases the process by assisting our clients to gradually trial and transition to EVs by avoiding large upfront expenditure.  EV adoption will take time and the scale of available vehicles will now start to grow.

“We are constantly looking to develop our services with new and innovative software and IRIS is our flagship product that facilitates this. We know our clients will appreciate the new look and feel of the platform and this should help to streamline rental management further, ultimately driving cost savings through innovation.”

Due to high demand, orders of electric fleet vehicles can take up to six months for delivery. As a result, Nexus has observed a rising trend of short and medium-term EV rental bookings to plug the gaps in supply.

Nexus’ award-winning IRIS software provides access to the UK’s largest supply chain of more than 550,000 vehicles from more than 2,000 locations across the UK, from an electric car to a 32 tonne refuse vehicle. 

To complement the platform launch, Nexus has also created a dedicated EV guide the latest in its Glovebox Guide series – to highlight the benefits of operating EVs within fleets, while offering practical advice to drivers.

To download a copy of the latest Glovebox Guide on EV’s, head to https://www.nexusrental.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Electric-Vehicles-Glovebox-Guide-1.pdf

To view the latest look for IRIS and the new EV platform, head to https://nexusrental-1.wistia.com/medias/ec984uwktq?wtime=0s 

‘Range & charge point anxiety’ a prevailing urban myth among fleet drivers

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While many company car drivers are genuinely interested in the benefits of driving an electric vehicle, the UK’s charging structure still creates concern for 69 per cent of those motorists polled.

The findings, from a survey by Venson Automotive Solutions, come as Nissan reports there are now more EV charging stations (9,199) in the UK than conventional fuel stations (8,396) and the Department for Transport reports that at present, the UK has a network of more than 24,000 public charging connectors in nearly 9,000 locations. 

In addition to highlighting a wide misconception that there is a lack of EV charging points across the UK, the Venson survey also reports preconceptions regarding limited battery range which came a close second; 57 per cent of those surveyed reported this was still a barrier when considering an EV.  

However, according to Go Ultra Low, the range of 100% electric cars is rapidly improving. Huge advances in battery technology and falling costs mean this will continue to grow.  Today, virtually all Go Ultra Low pure electric cars can drive over 100 miles with ease on a single charge; some of the latest models are closer to 200 miles or more.  

Alison Bell, Marketing Director at Venson Automotive Solutions, said: “With charging and battery range concerns abated, EV fleets should now be far more appealing to businesses.  The revised BiK charges which sees zero-emission electric vehicle tax liability for company car drivers fall from 2 per cent to 0 per cent for the tax year 2020-21, will also appeal to company car drivers which should boost demand for EVs in the next 12 months.”

Further good news is that 86 per cent of motorists surveyed said that a ‘lack of clarity in terms of ownership implications as a company car driver’ is a thing of the past, and more than two thirds of drivers said that they had a good understanding of the costs and convenience of owning an EV.  

Dealerships are also making it easier for fleet managers to promote a charge towards electric – only 13 per cent of motorists cited lack of ‘try before you buy’ options as an obstacle to purchase and only 5 per cent of people surveyed said they are worried about manufacturer lead times in acquiring an EV.  

Bell concluded: “Whilst our survey findings confirm a greater willingness by company car drivers to adapt to an EV world, there are still some ownership concerns. 41 per cent of people we surveyed expressed concern over the practicalities of being able to charge their vehicle at home.  And 30% per cent said they had concerns over service, maintenance and repair costs.”

The Venson Automotive Solutions ‘Plug-In Vehicle Guide’ is free and can be downloaded here. 

Image by andreas160578 from Pixabay

Funding for on-street EV charge points doubled

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The government is to fund an additional £2.5 million towards the installation of over 1,000 new EV chargepoints, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has confirmed.

The funding will support the on-street residential chargepoint scheme, launched in 2017, which helps people access charging infrastructure near their homes when they don’t have off-street parking.

It will go towards helping local authorities to install these chargepoints, which can be built into existing structures like lamp-posts. The scheme aims to encourage even more people to choose an electric vehicle by making it easier to charge their cars near home, following a 158% increase in battery electric vehicle sales compared to July last year.

The scheme has already seen 16 local authorities prepared to install 1,200 chargepoints this year. The Transport Secretary is now doubling funding for the scheme to meet demand and accelerate the take-up of electric vehicles as the UK moves towards net zero emissions by 2050 and further improve air quality.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “It’s fantastic that there are now more than 20,000 publicly accessible chargepoints and double the number of electric vehicle chargepoints than petrol stations, but we want to do much more.

“It’s vital that electric vehicle drivers feel confident about the availability of chargepoints near their homes, and that charging an electric car is seen as easy as plugging in a smartphone.

“That’s why we are now doubling the funding available for local authorities to continue building the infrastructure we need to super-charge the zero emission revolution – right across the country.”

The allocation of funding for on-street residential chargepoints is part of the £1.5 billion investment underpinned by the Road to Zero Strategy. The strategy consists of one of the most comprehensive packages of support for the transition to zero emission vehicles in the world, supporting the move towards a cleaner, greener, accessible and reliable UK transport network.

As part of this, the government is also investing £37 million into British engineering to develop electric chargepoint infrastructure that it says could rapidly expand the UK chargepoint network for people without off-street parking and put the UK on the map as the best place in the world to own an electric vehicle.

Innovations to receive investment include underground charging systems, solar powered charging forecourts and wireless charging projects.

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