Yorkshire Water, a Yorkshire-based water supply and treatment utility company, has contracted UK Power Networks Services (UKPN), a branch of network operator UK Power Networks, to install and maintain 1,000 electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints to support its fleet of 1,450 electric vans.
The installation aligns with the water company’s wider sustainability agenda and its roadmap to net zero by 2030. It hopes to have entirely electrified its fleet by this date.
The first chargers will be installed at the company’s training academy in Bradford, where several of the company’s Renault Zoes and Nissan e-NV200s are stationed.
“We often receive enquiries asking how a large vehicle fleet can be electrified in a matter of years,” said Philip Heathcote, head of markets at UK Power Network Services.
“This project proves that with strong collaborative partnerships, the right strategy and expertise – it can be done.”
The collaboration comes after UK Power Networks’ recently urged firms to pursue more investments in EV chargepoints.
There are currently 81 proposed locations for new chargepoint infrastructure across all of Yorkshire Water’s departments.
What’s more, any employee that drives an electric van for the company will also be entitled to a domestic chargepoint installation.
Nicola Shaw, CEO of Yorkshire Water, said: “We have committed to achieving net zero operational emissions by 2030, and part of that ambition includes transitioning all our vehicles to zero or ultra-low emissions.
“Working with UK Power Networks Services to develop the supporting infrastructure for all our light commercial vehicles to be electric powered is an important step to making that a reality and will allow our teams to use electric vehicles to their full potential.”
