Centrica has launched a new electric vehicle (EV) service designed to help businesses in the transition towards electrifying their fleet.
Companies will be offered solar panels and batteries to allow them to meet the additional power demands of new charging points. Moreover, customers will be able to integrate their EV chargers with existing energy infrastructure and access local energy management services to ensure they are managing their growing fleet in the smartest, most efficient way.
The package has been developed in response to the growing global EV market, which, according to National Grid, could require up to 18GW of additional power in the UK by 2050, equivalent to an extra 30 per cent on top of today’s peak demand.
Research carried out by Centrica has shown that more than 75 per cent of businesses are planning to introduce EVs into their fleets. However, over half (57 per cent) of these businesses have not considered the implications of what that could mean in terms of their energy demand.
Jorge Pikunic, global managing director for Centrica Business Solutions said: “The adoption of electric vehicles is no longer a question for tomorrow. For businesses, the transition to EV is a big opportunity to become cleaner, more sustainable and more efficient.
“We believe distributed energy technologies will be key to supporting the cost-effective roll out of EVs, reducing the need for costly grid upgrades and new centralised generation capacity.
“Our offer has been designed to be fully flexible so that, whatever stage businesses are at on the EV journey, we can help make the transition simpler, faster and more affordable.”
As well as this, Centrica have been confirmed as the first energy company to join the Go Ultra Low campaign, which aims to help UK organisations and motorists understand the benefits of EVs.
Poppy Welch, head of Go Ultra Low, said: “With Go Ultra Low now welcoming energy companies into the campaign, we are excited to be able to provide an even more comprehensive view of electric vehicle ownership.
“Energy companies are already undertaking a wide range of activities to promote EV uptake, and initiatives like Centrica’s new business customer EV offer will help to encourage companies to unlock the potential benefits of making the switch to electric in their fleet. We look forward to working with Centrica and others to help consumers and organisations understand the benefits, cost savings and capabilities that electric vehicles offer.”
In a trading update issued earlier this month, Centrica blamed a “challenging trading environment” for its struggles in the first half of the year. Despite this, chief executive Iain Conn received a 44 per cent pay increase, to the ire of unions such as Unison.