Electric briefs: Latest EV news from Arval, Reflex Vehicle Hire, Mer, Vital EV and SSE Energy Solutions

Arval promotoes value of used electric vehicles

Arval UK has organised an event designed to promote the value of its ex-fleet electric vehicles (EVs) to used car dealers and supermarkets.

Attended by delegates from major car dealerships and supermarkets, it featured presentations by Rachael Jones of Auto Trader on the future growth of the EV market and Arval consultant, Paul Marchment, to dispel used car buyer concerns about range and charging.

There was also the opportunity to try a selection of EVs available within Arval’s current used stock including the Volkswagen Id3, Cupra Born, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Renault Megane E-Tech, Genesis GV60, Kia e-Niro, Kia EV6, BMW iX1, Jaguar I-Pace, Tesla Model 3 and Model Y andthe Ford E-Transit.

Arval UK’s head of B2B and remarketing partnerships, Stuart Chamberlain, said: “The numbers of ex-fleet EVs that we are selling into the used car market is currently quite low – disposed of around 1,000 in the last 12 months via our dealer platform Arval MotorTrade and direct to consumers – but is set to grow exponentially in the next couple of years.

“We know that some dealers are quite advanced when it comes to their own retailing of EVs while others are approaching the subject with more caution. What we were aiming to do with this event was really show how the used EV sector is going to increase massively in size quite quickly, look at the key areas of concern for both retailers and their customers, and show the attractiveness and benefits of the vehicles available.”

It’s all about taking proactive steps to increase education and adoption of the new technology to the benefit of everyone involved in the remarketing process.”

He explained that a properly functioning used market for EVs was crucial to the overall electrification of the UK’s car parc.

“The used sector is integral to the country’s EV transition and it’s important that used car dealers and their customers feel comfortable and are educated on their capabilities,” he added.

“What we want to do is help build confidence and the feedback received from the event has been very positive. Especially, once dealers try the vehicles, many of their reservations evaporate.”

Amalga conducts fleet electrification analysis with Reflex Vehicle Hire

Amalga has started its green fleet journey following an extensive fleet analysis through Reflex Vehicle Hire’s EV:IE tool.

Amalga, which provides services and support to some of Britain’s biggest airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, is using the service to identify and select its first pure electric vehicle (EV).

EV:IE (Electric Vehicle Information Exchange) offers a suite of data-rich insights and guidance designed to propel fleets from the realm of internal combustion-engined (ICE) vehicles to appropriate zero-emission alternatives.

Amalga’s introduction of a new Peugeot e-Partner marks the beginning of their electrification journey following a consultation with the EV:IE team, who provided insights into areas including vehicle performance, suitability and, importantly, lead times.

James Walker, operations manager for Amalga, said: “The team were really helpful and focused on our business. They talked us through the options and we discussed how to account for extended manufacturer lead times in our planning and ordering process.”

The new van is being put straight to use moving tools and materials between sites as part of Amalga’s range of airport services, which include procurement, security screening, airside deliveries, cleaning, stock control, installs, and maintenance.

Amalga, a gold member of the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS), operates a fleet of nine vehicles, including six vans.

It is reviewing switching the remainder of the diesel fleet to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) as a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels, ahead of an eventual switch to electric.

Lisa Spong, sales director of Reflex Vehicle Hire, said: “It is important to plan ahead for the switch away from fossil fuels to ensure companies source the right vehicles and maintain a focus on cost efficiency and compliance. Through our EV:IE service, we are helping businesses throughout the country to prepare for change and successfully adapt to an electric future.”

Mer helps NHS trust take a lead on fleet electrification

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust has been able to accelerate its fleet electrification after Mer installed charge points at 13 of its sites.

Mer worked on the project with NTW Solutions, which is the subsidiary responsible for support services to the Trust.

NTW Solutions provides the Trust with estates and facilities management, car leasing, finance, workforce and procurement services.

Lee Cant, commercial director of NTW Solutions, said: “Working with Mer to procure these chargers has been an enabler for us to move forward with our decarbonisation strategy.

“We benchmark ourselves against other trusts in the region and we know that we are out in front in terms of fleet electrification thanks in part to this project.”

NTW Solutions runs a fleet of 1,400 lease cars for Trust employees as well as around 90 service vehicles ranging from pool cars to vans and trucks.

“In total 40% of the lease cars are now fully electric or plug-in hybrids, while about a quarter of the service fleet is the same,” added Cant.

“Some of the service vehicles are larger and they need full payloads for operations like laundry, so they won’t be electrified yet, we’ll concentrate for now on the lighter vans.”

Mer won a competitive tender to deliver the charge points after meeting all the key criteria. One of the main priorities for the Trust was the ability to set different tariffs – free charging for fleet vehicles, a preferential rate for staff, and a higher rate for visitors.

Scott Duncan, associate consultant at Mer, said: “This was a complex but rewarding project to install chargers across multiple locations.

“The Trust is making full use of the smart charger technology to set different tariffs for various use cases and utilise Mer’s proprietary back-office software for data analytics.”

Vital EV broadens appeal with four new EV chargers

Vital EV has widened its partner portfolio by obtaining distributor rights with four additional charger manufacturers.

Along with Kempower, Vital EV is now an official UK distributor of Alpitronic, Autel, Heliox and Enelion, and has launched its own charge monitoring software Occulus to support its customers.

Based in Coventry, Vital EV is part of the Vital Group of companies and is distinguished by its ‘whole life’ EV charging solutions, from site design and survey, to installation and commissioning, to its tailored ‘Trust’ aftersales support programmes.

Each new brand has been carefully selected to ensure they comply with Vital EV’s strict criteria for reliability and remote monitoring. 

The partnerships with Alpitronic, Autel, Heliox and Enelion also bring new strengths to the Vital EV charger portfolio, it said, allowing the sales teams to engage with new customer groups and offer a more competitive solution.

Alpitronic’s Hypercharger range is renowned for its scalable and retrofittable ‘Power Stack’ design, allowing customers to increase power over time in 100kW increments.

The most powerful charger, the HYC400, offers up to 400kW of dynamic, ultra-rapid charging via three charging ports (CCS and Chademo available).

Autel’s DC charger range, which consists of the space-efficient Compact Charger and the high-powered Fast Charger (up to 240kW), feature large 27-inch touchscreen displays.

Based in the Netherlands, Heliox specialises in the heavy-duty vehicle sector with a wide range of ultra-rapid hub-and-spoke systems, which includes inverted pantographs for electric bus operators.

Heliox is also one of the first charging manufacturers to offer a MCS (Megawatt Charging System) solution.

Nic Rae, CEO and founder of the Vital Group, said: “As a whole-life EV charging service provider, our rigorous selection process for new EV charging manufacturers is not just based around the functionality and speed of the chargers, but also around reliability and visibility.

“After a comprehensive market appraisal, we believe our new brands complete our market offering that deliver great results every time.”

To help monitor and manage the new range of chargers, Vital EV has launched its own charge management platform.

Occulus is a complementary service for all Vital EV customers that allows fleet managers to remotely control each charger and access powerful charging insights, helping to reduce energy costs and optimise fleet operations.

Work underway to create Scotland ‘most powerful’ electric vehicle charging hub

SSE Energy Solutions is installing Scotland’s most powerful electric vehicle (EV) charging hub, with 24 ultra-rapid charging bays and a total capacity of almost two and a half megawatts.

Eight of the bays at the hub in Dundee will be powered by 360-kilowatt charge units, capable of delivering up to 60 miles of range in three minutes, believed to be the first publicly accessible hub anywhere in Scotland to feature charge units this powerful.

The remaining 16 bays will feature 150-kilowatt charge units.

The Myrekirk roundabout ultra-rapid EV charging hub is one of two being installed by SSE in Dundee, with construction of a second hub in the city’s Kingsway West area awaiting full planning permission.

The Kingsway West hub will feature eight charging bays with 150-kilowatt charge units and will also feature curb-less charging areas to ensure accessibility for all.

In what would be a UK first, SSE is exploring the option to install, subject to planning permission, canopies for the Kingsway West hub fashioned from old wind turbine blades.

The blades are being repurposed by Scottish company, ReBlade, whose design is patent pending, and SSE anticipates fitting more such canopies on future EV charging hubs.

SSE plans to build 500 ultra-rapid EV charging hubs powered by traceable, renewable energy in the UK and Ireland by 2030 with several sites already under construction.

The first hub, at Castlebank in Glasgow, opened in September of last year.

Kevin Welstead, EV sector director at SSE Energy Solutions, said: “The Myrekirk hub represents our gold standard, a design we want to replicate across the country.

"With EV sales growing exponentially they are going to take up a significant proportion of our country’s total electricity demand over the coming years and at SSE we are investing to respond to that need, delivering innovative solutions such as these new hubs in Dundee.”