Applications invited for next stage of Plugged-in Fleets Initiative

As part of the Plugged-in Fleets Initiative (PIFI), the Energy Saving Trust (EST) is now offering 100 organisations in England a free analysis of their fleets to see if, and how, electric vehicles will work for them.

Organisations that participate in the initiative (known as PIFI 100) will receive:

• An analysis of where and how plug-in vehicles could work in the business
• A whole life cost analysis, comparing existing vehicles with plug-in alternatives
• An outline of what needs to change to allow plug-in vehicles to make practical or financial sense for the organisation
• Infrastructure guidance
• A tailored final report with clear recommendations on recharging infrastructure and scheduling analysis.

PIFI 100 is funded by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles and follows the successful completion of the original Plugged-in Fleets Initiative.

The original initiative demonstrated how 20 of the UK’s leading organisations from the public and private sector could adapt their fleets to electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

It was found that organisations switching to electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles could reduce their fuel costs by an average of 75%.

The full results of the analysis were published last month in a report called ‘Charging Forward’ (available here), which found a strong business case for most of the 20 fleets to adopt plug-in vehicles, with some reviews even offering a strong case for fleets to be 100% electric.

Caroline Watson from the Energy Saving Trust said: “We have already demonstrated that electric vehicles can provide practical and financial benefits to some of the leading organisations in the UK.

"We aim to continue this work through PIFI 100, as more organisations look at electric vehicles as a long term investment for their business needs.

"If organisations are interested in a free analysis of their fleets, we would recommend registering interest now as places on the programme will fill up fast.”

To register an interest in taking part in PIFI 100 email pifi@est.org.uk or call the Energy Saving Trust Transport team on 0207 227 0310.

More information on PIFI 100 can be found here.