Data firm to help shape electric vehicle kerbside charging map

The Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) has appointed Field Dynamics as data partner for its national electric vehicle (EV) kerbside charging demand map.

The online resource, expected to be launched at the end of Q1, will show where fleet drivers reside who need kerbside charging, generally because of living in a property with no drive, meaning private charging cannot be installed.

Field Dynamics partner Charlie Gilbert said: “This project will involve harvesting, cleansing and processing information largely provided by the AFP’s project team members, who are supplying data from their fleets at postcode geographies.

“We will then develop a methodology to compare this fleet footprint data with information about on- and off-street households to provide a view of which fleet drivers are in local authorities where there is high kerbside charging demand.

“The online map we then construct will be public facing and available for everyone to query and interrogate.”

AFP chair Paul Hollick said: “Initially, we expect to use data from AFP major fleets operating EVs totalling about 160,000 drivers but have also issued a general data call from any businesses across the country that might be able to contribute.

“Every day we are hearing from fleets, especially van fleets, that want to speed up the electrification of their operations but are being hampered by the problem of charging for drivers who do not have off-road parking or any other access to a charger.”

Fleet operators interested in contributing data to the AFP project can indicate their interest and a member of the AFP will call them to discuss how the process works.