Electric briefs: Latest EV news from Tesla, Tevva, BeEV, TG Lynes, Rolec, Wattif and RiverRidge

Tesla launches new charging feature in the UK

Tesla is launching Charge on Solar via a software update for its app in the UK for the first time.

The new feature will allow the brand’s electric vehicle (EV) drivers, equipped with a Powerwall paired with solar, to charge using excess energy produced by the Tesla solar system at no extra cost.

Tesla says that in the same way Tesla drivers benefit from the integration of the Supercharger network in their car through its Trip Planner feature, Charge on Solar presents yet another opportunity to harness the “benefits” of its integrated ecosystem.

The new feature is rolling out with app version 4.30.5 and, along with the UK, will be availablein Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland.

Tevva gives fleets opportunity to experience electric truck

Tevva has kicked off the first of its 2024 customer experience days with 40 fleet decision-makers driving its 7.5t battery-electric truck.

The British EV manufacturer hosted the prospective customers at Tevva London in Tilbury.

The Tevva 7.5t electric truck offers up to 140 miles (227 kilometres) from its 105-kWh battery on a single charge.

Ken Scott, managing director of Tevva, said: “As the only British company making battery-electric trucks today, we’re delighted to launch this 'try before you buy' programme, where you can test drive one of our vehicles for yourself.

“Any forward-thinking fleet decision-maker shouldn’t miss this opportunity. They might be surprised at how smooth the transition from a dirty diesel to a clean electric truck can be.”

The customer experience days aim to provide fleet managers, transport managers, operations directors and anyone tasked with decarbonising their commercial vehicle fleets with the opportunity to get behind the wheel of an electric truck.

The next Tevva customer experience day will be held on Thursday, March 21.

Along with a test drive on local roads, there is an informal knowledge share of the onboard technologies at the Tevva Creation Hub - covering batteries, regen braking, eMotors and a look at the company’s manufacturing facilities.

Ultra-rapid charging hub opened by BeEV

Gateway Centre, Oldham has received a new ultra-rapid charging hub, in a £1 million deal with Manchester-based EV charging network BeEV.

The site is home to 16 ultra-rapid charging bays, making it one of the largest ultra-rapid EV charging locations in Greater Manchester. 

The Kempower chargers can intelligently distribute energy supply between vehicles according to capacity and demand - meaning if one car reaches the maximum amount of power on one charger, any residual energy supply can be reassigned to another vehicle connected on-site. 

The technology, commissioned and maintained by Vital EV, is capable of delivering up to 150kW.

BeEV CEO, Asif Ghafoor, said: “These Kempower chargers are really cutting edge, and unlike lamppost chargers we’ll still be using these in 20 years or more.”

TG Lynes invests in electric dropside van

TG Lynes has further improved the sustainability its fleet by investing in a new electric dropside van.

The heating, plumbing and air movement materials supplier has purchased a dropside Ford E-Transit, which is being used predominantly for daily deliveries into central London.

The van has a range of up to 150 miles and a payload of 750kg. It can be charged on-site at TG Lynes’ Enfield base.

John O’Connell, transport supervisor at TG Lynes, said: “The E-Transit is very versatile and its range is easily enough to use for deliveries within central London.

“It drives very well and we have found it particularly good in the W1 and EC postcodes where roads are constrictive and space is at a premium.

“We’ve moved towards dropsides in recent years as they are capable of carrying pipe up to six metres in length, compared to just four metres for panel vans.

“The most important thing for us is to have a fleet that is as versatile and as sustainable as possible. This new addition will help us to lower our carbon footprint even further, while improving service for our customers.”

Rolec EV and Wattif EV announce partnership

Rolec has entered into a strategic partnership with end-to-end EV charging provider, Wattif. 

Early this year, Wattif secured €50 million from a leading Pan-European investment fund to underpin their strategy to become one of Europe’s leading destination charging providers.

The company is currently operating 26,000 charging points across six countries in Europe.

The new collaboration between Wattif and Rolec enables greater accessibility for landowners to install EV charging on their property and provides Wattif with a more diverse range of chargepoint hardware to further expand their offering. 

Together, they are embarking on a joint promise to install 40,000 chargepoints across the UK.

Frankie Mellon, sales director at Rolec EV, said: “We are delighted to announce that Rolec EV’s hardware has been approved to support the rollout of Wattif EV’s charging network throughout the UK and Ireland. 

“As preferred charge point supplier for Wattif, Rolec will provide a comprehensive range of funded EV charging solutions to be integrated with Wattif’s software, allowing Wattif to provide a fully turnkey solution to customers.

“The aim of our collaboration is to focus on making the adoption of electric vehicle infrastructure more accessible to the wider market.”

Steve Rees, Wattif managing director for the UK and Ireland, added: “Improvements to charging infrastructure and access to charge points play a key role in EV adoption, the elimination of range anxiety and the achievement of legislative targets for 2030. 

“This partnership for Wattif provides Rolec clients and installers with turnkey funding models to help them on their route to net zero and transition to electric vehicle adoption."

RiverRidge takes delivery of fully electric skip lift vehicle

RiverRidge has taken delivery of a fully electric skip lift vehicle as it works towards transitioning its fleet to zero-emissions within the next 15 years.

One of the main contracts that the Renault Trucks E-tech D Wide 4x2, with Hyva skip loader equipment, will be used on is with international ship builder and defence contractor, Harland and Wolff, where RiverRidge has secured a new service level agreement.

Scott Argue, waste management coordinator at Harland and Wolff, said: “As part of our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy, we are keen to work with businesses and explore how we can lower our carbon footprint, creating more sustainable ways of working.”

The vehicle is being supplied by Diamond Trucks and is Renault Trucks’ first commercially available 18-tonne skip lift offering in Northern Ireland.

Stephen Thompson, RiverRidge Group transport director, said: “The addition of this vehicle to our fleet is one of a number of meaningful steps that the company is taking to meet the commitments we have made to all our stakeholders about reducing the carbon footprint of our collection services.”