Industry-led group to focus on overcoming barriers to deployment of corporate electric vehicle fleets in the UK
Tesco, NatWest, and LeasePlan have teamed up with Defra and the Environment Agency to launch a new industry-led group focused on accelerating the deployment of corporate electric vehicle (EV) fleets in the UK.
Dubbed EVzero, the group has been set up to enable businesses and organisations to work together to overcome hurdles to widespread EV adoption, such as access to charging infrastructure and costs of procurement, according to Innovation Gateway, which is spearheading the initiative. The first meeting of the EVzero group is scheduled to take place today.
Although a number of initiatives such as the industry-led EV100 and the UK’s 2030 fossil fuel car sales ban have helped to accelerate EV adoption in recent years, many firms still “face obstacles and uncertainties” in delivering the assets and infrastructure needed to switch to fully electric fleets, the group explained.
As such, it said EVzero would enable “ambitious leaders to help each other take the next steps forward for their fleet transition, by taking a critical pinch point in charging infrastructure that is hindering successful EV deployments”.
Under the EVzero programme, members are set to focus on supporting the development of a suitable EV charging network across the UK, reducing the risks and costs of deployment through co-procurement efforts, and share knowledge and market expertise.
Innovation Gateway’s CEO, Matt Pumfrey, said pooling organisations’ experience and resources could help to “finally shake up the EV market enough to crack the code towards a fully net zero future”.
“By doing this together, we will reduce risks and costs and develop solutions based around the collective demand of the world’s most ambitious organisations,” he said.
LeasePlan UK’s managing director, Alfonzo Martinez, said switching to EVs could feel like a “daunting task”, but argued that “with the right support and preparation in place it can be a positive and straight-forward experience”.
“We’re delighted to put our experience of working with organisations of all sizes to ease the transition to good use as part of EVzero group,” he said. “Together we’re committed to driving real, tangible change.”
