Electric briefs: Latest news from Rightcharge, BP Pulse, Believe, Verizon Connect, EVA England and Progreen

Rightcharge partners with Mercedes-Benz Vans for fleet electrification

Rightcharge has joined forces with Mercedes-Benz Vans in the UK to help businesses looking to operate and charge electric vehicles (EVs).

Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Vans and facilitated by Rightcharge, buyers of electric vehicles can benefit from contributions towards the costs of a charge point and the installations. Current offers include £1,000 for customers purchasing a Mercedes-Benz eCitan via an authorised Mercedes-Benz Van dealer.

Rightcharge provides electric van drivers with an end-to-end solution for charge point installations. CEO Charlie Cook said: “We are thrilled to collaborate with a brand that is as loved and respected as Mercedes-Benz as we work closely together to simplify the transition to electric vans.”

Sarah Palfreyman, sales director at Mercedes-Benz Vans in the UK, added: “This partnership further cements our commitment to supporting the UK’s van community in transitioning to electric.

“We know that infrastructure is a vital part of EV ownership, so we’re pleased to partner with Rightcharge to provide a solution that will keep our customers moving efficiently and sustainably.”

Believ warns public EV charging infrastructure is stalling

A major research project for Believ shows that many local authorities have fallen behind in their intended charging infrastructure plans, with almost half now pushing the deadline for completion beyond the 2030 ambition. 

In 2022, a fifth (20%) of the 100 councils surveyed said they hoped to have local charging infrastructure rolled out within 12 months and almost three-quarters (72%) aimed to do so within three years.

Not a single council is yet to have fully implemented its plans and only 13% expect to do so any time soon. Almost half (47%) believe it will now take more than three years.  

Meanwhile, more than a third (34%) of respondents have no formal infrastructure plan in place, and most cite a lack of public funding as the biggest roadblock to progress.

This is despite £57 million of Government and private funding being released in 2023, out of the committed £800m, which will be released incrementally across the next two or three years. 

Believ’s CEO, Guy Bartlett, said: “There is no doubt local authorities need more support, more resources and more manpower for the EV charging infrastructure challenges  they face, but rather than rely on public sector funding, local authorities can look to the private sector who can plan, install and maintain charge point infrastructure at zero cost to local councils and help them benefit sooner from revenues generated.”  

BP Pulse launch ultra-fast EV charging hub

BP Pulse and UK Power Networks Services have switched on eight ultra-fast 150kW chargers at Pimlico EV charging hub in central London.

The new charging points at Q-Park, in Cumberland Street, Pimlico, can simultaneously charge 16 vehicles, to support Electric Vehicle uptake.

UK Power Networks Services installed the necessary hardware and software to support EV charging, enabling BP Pulse to optimise their EV infrastructure and develop fleet analysis.

James Birdsall, project engineer at BP Pulse, said: “UK Power Networks Services’ dedication, drive and determination on this project to get things done safely and to the standard of quality expected from us, has been on display right from the very start to the end. Their attention to detail and communication throughout has been great. It’s been a pleasure working alongside them again on this project.”

Antony White, client delivery manager at UK Power Networks Services, added: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with BP Pulse to deliver essential infrastructure in central London, supporting the UK’s ambition to increase the use of EVs as we move forward towards Net Zero.

“This project involved a complicated installation, where we overcame several challenges to deliver a high-quality project to meet the client’s requirements.”

EVA England partners with Octopus Electroverse

EVA England is partnering with Octopus Electroverse, becoming part of EVA England’s network of partnerships that provides drivers access to discounts on EV products and services.

Through this partnership, members of EVA England will get access to Electroverse’s public charging network and receive £10 of public charging credit to use on the Electroverse network of nearly 600 charge point brands.

James Court, CEO of EVA England, said: “For our members it will mean a discount and access to the UK’s largest EV roaming services, which is constantly bringing innovations to market to make public charging as easy, transparent and affordable as possible.”

Matt Davies, director of Electroverse, added: “Coming on board as one of EVA England’s partners means bringing our easy EV charging experience to even more drivers.

“We’re looking forward to working together to make charging an EV as simple as possible - as we accelerate the drive to cheaper, cleaner electric transport.”

Verizon Connect launches Reveal EV Platform in UK

Verizon Connect has announced the European expansion of its Reveal EV capabilities in addition to the new EV Suitability Tool.

The EV Suitability Tool highlights which vehicles can be replaced by EVs and provides graphical data to support these recommendations. No input by the customers is required, as the analysis is done automatically. 

Peter Mitchell, general manager and senior vice president at Verizon Connect, said: “When our customers speak, we listen, and the introduction of our EV Suitability Tool, as well as our Reveal EV expansion into Europe, is another example of us responding to their needs.”

Verizon Connect is expanding its Reveal EV capabilities to European customers including the UK, Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland and Portugal.

This integration of vehicle battery level and charging state data direct from EVs into its fleet management platform, as well as new EV reporting and alerting capabilities, allows customers to easily manage their EV operations, it says.

Customers in Europe can easily monitor the charging status of their vehicles to determine if they are plugged in and charging, helping them to keep the vehicle ready when needed.

Additionally, customers can instantly see the battery percentage level of a vehicle so they can ensure it has enough charge to perform the tasks at hand.

Progreen delivers refrigerated electric vehicles

Prohire’s sustainable vehicle hire and alternative fuels division, ProGreen, has delivered Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate’s first refrigerated EVs.

In collaboration with Bespoke Bodies, who have built the vehicle bodies, ProGreen has delivered two electric vans.

The bespoke, all-electric temperature-controlled vans have been designed for Bettys Craft Bakery and will feature a tail lift.

The livery that features on the two new electric vans has been designed by Bettys marketing team.

Additionally, ProGreen has delivered a new electric van to The Cone Exchange, Bettys and Taylors flagship community project which collects waste from local businesses, raising funds that are then donated to local charities. ProGreen initially provided the van free of charge as an in-kind donation.

ProGreen has fitted telematics to all three vehicles. The systems provide remote fault diagnosis, tracking, accident detention and driver behaviour analysis, and allow ProGreen to monitor the vehicles, deliver optimum performance, prevent critical failure, and report on CO2 savings.

Paul Farr, Bettys product director, said: “From the outset, Prohire took time to understand our specific needs, particularly the importance of maintaining our product quality during transit, and we are pleased to now see these bespoke vehicles out and about in Yorkshire.”

Further to maintaining the vehicles, ProGreen has delivered training for the drivers covering the vehicle’s features and technology, how to load them, and health and safety.