Sureserve Group uses Octopus Energy to charge electric fleet

The Sureserve Group has partnered with Octopus Energy to offer employees home charging installations and the option to switch to a smart tariff to help electrify its 600-strong fleet.

The compliance and energy services group was introduced to Octopus Energy via its Future Mobility Offering with NatWest Group.

Any NatWest Group business or personal customer can access low-cost finance packages to use the Octopus Energy’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.

The tariff, says Sureserve, will enable its vans and cars to charge cost-efficiently when there is more green energy on the grid. This will provide six hours of ‘super plunge pricing’ overnight with a saving of 73% compared to current fixed domestic energy tariff options in the market, claims Octopus.

It also enables Octopus to offer a cheaper daytime rate for drivers from value obtained from this dynamic charging.

Peter Smith, interim chief operating officer and chief financial officer at Sureserve, said: “The delivery of this new project is a very exciting addition to the scope of our sustainable operations, with very real and direct benefits to our businesses, our people, our clients and their customers, and of course the environment.”

Octopus will provide Sureserve with access to the Electric Juice Network, Octopus’s roaming platform that allows fleets to access thousands of charge points across the country, all through one app, card and bill.

Sureserve’s fleet managers will also be given access to a fleet dashboard platform by Octopus, which is powered by data from Ohme’s intelligent chargers installed at driver homes.

It consolidates the cost of charging on workplace, home and public chargers, and can send payments through payroll back to the driver, so that Sureserve can reimburse drivers for the business miles that they are doing.

Zoisa North-Bond, CEO of Octopus Energy for Business, the arm of Octopus Energy Group which is managing the partnership, said: “Our team designed a tailor-made solution for Sureserve which allows them to charge their fleet with green energy when it’s at its cheapest.

“Business fleets play a key role in the success of decarbonising UK roads. It's our ambition to make switching to green electricity as easy and comfortable as possible for them so we can fast-track the UK to net zero."

Since launching in January 2018 as part of Octopus Energy Group, Octopus Energy for Business has accrued more than 30,000 customers, from SMEs to its largest customer, Arsenal FC, supplying them with 100% renewable power.

In May 2020, Octopus Energy for Business launched the Electric Juice Charging Network, a network of many different brands of charge point providers that gives EV drivers a consolidated user interface and one bill to pay with.