Leasing company Arval is to open an electric vehicle charging site at its Swindon head office for use by its employees and other businesses in the same building.

Arval has around 100 plug-in vehicle drivers in its own company car fleet and will also use the initiative to measure the cost and practicality business case versus petrol and diesel cars. It also plans to install 10 chargers at its Manchester site and more in Birmingham (number to be confirmed).

Forty-three of the 22kWh EV smart chargers will be for use by Arval employees and seven will be available for other businesses to use. They are on a green tariff with the landlord's energy supplier.

Miguel Cabaça, managing director at Arval UK, said that the new charging development would act as a test ground and working example for customers who were thinking about electrifying their company cars and vans.

He added: “Every day we see a growing interest in electric vehicles from a broad cross section of our customers.

“We hope to provide a real world illustration of the practicalities behind the energy transition.”

The charge points are being provided by NewMotion, with which Arval already partners for its own Electric Vehicle Offer scheme launched last year.

Included within that proposition is a six-month EV trial to help customers decide and an opportunity for drivers to swap for a diesel or petrol car for a few weeks a year for longer journeys, such as holidays.

The NewMotion venture is for home/workplace charging points, including an option to have home charging costs automatically reimbursed by the employer, and an electricity payment card.

All Arval employees who register for the scheme will be provided with a charge fob to access the points. They will be able to charge at work for free for the first six months.The fobs also give access to NewMotion's 100,000-plus public charge points across Europe.

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