The Electric Vehicle Fleet Accelerator (EVFA) will see seven British companies, including the operators of some of the largest commercial vehicle fleets, come together to work to help accelerate the mass adoption of EVs across the UK.
Bp, BT, Direct Line Group, Royal Mail, ScottishPower, Severn Trent and Tesco have collaborated on a recently published report that outlines a series of actions needed from both industry and government to deliver on EV targets.
The report details how supportive government policy could help unlock private sector investment of £50bn in infrastructure and in electric fleets in the UK over the next five years.
It promises, if the government delivers on this agenda, the EVFA members will commit to converting the fleets involved to EVs by 2030. The members also pledged to buy British – purchasing 70,000 British-built vans by 2030 or sooner.
The companies hope this clear statement of intent will act as a stimulus and help spur the investment decisions needed to develop EV van manufacturing in the UK.
Bernard Looney, chief executive, Bp, said: “Government and businesses working together can act as a catalyst to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles throughout the UK. This report from the EVFA highlights the points where government policy can unlock private sector investment to deliver the necessary charging infrastructure, overcome fleet demand obstacles and create vehicle manufacturing capacity.
“Bp is committed to playing our part. We are growing our bp pulse charging network across the UK, aiming to double its size by 2030. Working closely with government and partners, we can support and enable the transformation of transport in the UK.”
The 35-page report focused on four key areas including future-proofing the electricity network infrastructure and enabling the UK-wide rollout of charging infrastructure. It also details how to overcome demand obstacles and expand the supply of UK-made vehicles.
Keith Anderson, CEO of ScottishPower, added: “It’s great to see some of the UK’s biggest companies making the switch to EVs early but we have to remember the power network is vital to enabling this transition.
“The electrification of all EVs across the UK will mean a doubling of demand through our grid network and it won’t be ready without urgent action and investment in the grid system – and this investment must happen now and must come ahead of increasing demand.”
