EVolution magazine Issue 3

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www.EVolutionMagazine.co.uk

Issue: May 2022

At your service Gridserve’s Norwich Electric Forecourt Mapping the rapid rise of public chargepoints

Volvo pilots wireless technology in Gothenburg

Accessible EV provision is better for everyone

EV drivers want faster en route charging

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Powering the transition to electric and hydrogen road transport

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WELCOME

www.EVolutionMagazine.co.uk

Issue: May 2022

At your service Gridserve’s Norwich Electric Forecourt Mapping the rapid rise of public chargepoints

Volvo pilots wireless technology in Gothenburg

Accessible EV provision is better for everyone

EV drivers want faster en route charging

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Powering the transition to electric and hydrogen road transport

@EVolutionAlerts EVolutionMagazine.co.uk Editorial Managing editor: Mark Moran Tel: 020 7091 7871 mark.moran@landor.co.uk Production and design production@landor.co.uk Advertising, sponsorship, marketing and exhibition packages Jason Conboy Tel: 020 7091 7895 jason@landor.co.uk Subscriptions Christina Pierre Tel: 020 7091 7959 subs@landor.co.uk Accounts Irina Cocks Tel: 020 7091 7854 irina.cocks@landor.co.uk Business manager Rod Fletcher Tel: 0191 280 1410 Printed by: Pensord Tram Road, Pontllanfraith, Blackwood NP12 2YA Published by: Landor LINKS Ltd, Apollo House, 359 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5QY © Landor LINKS Ltd 2022

www.landor.co.uk Registered members of:

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Electric Forecourt Norwich

EVolution | May 2022

A selection of the more than 140 EVs now on the market

Looking for an EV? Go to the festival...

The electric car is moving from rarity and aspiration to the mainstream. TV adverts that not so long ago featured electric concept cars now promote the EV production models that seem to have displaced fossil-fuelled versions in terms of marketing.

How things have changed since 2011, when just nine plug-in car models were available in the UK, accounting for less than 1 in 1,000 total registrations. Today, there are more than 140 plug-in models available, accounting for 1-in-5 new cars sold this year.

There are also growing opportunities to see this ever expanding range of models up close. Beyond showrooms, there are a number of EV festivals such as Fully Charged LIVE, which was held at the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre between 29 April and 1 May. A spin-off from the popular Fully Charged online EV channel, the event showcased more than 100 electric cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles and mopeds, bicycles, trikes, scooters, skateboards, classics and concepts. It attracted over 20,000 people looking to make the shift to clean mobility and more sustainable lifestyles. International editions will be taking place throughout 2022.

Next up in Britain is the Simply Electric show, which returns to the grounds of the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in Hampshire on 29 May. This year’s rally is an opportunity for existing electric vehicle owners to connect with other enthusiasts, and prospective EV drivers to compare cars as part of a busy motoringthemed day out. And the petrol and diesel cars are safely displayed in the museum, which is where they belong.

Mark Moran Editor

TV adverts that once featured EV concept cars now promote mainstream models

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TRENDS

Rapid rise in public chargepoints UK has 30,290 public EV chargepoints, DfT data reveals The number of public electric vehicle charging devices continues to grow, reveals latest statistical bulletin from the Department for Transport (DfT). The total number of chargepoints available to the public has increased by a third over the past year. As of the beginning of April 2022 there were 30,290 public electric vehicle charging devices available in the UK, of which 5,494 were rapid units.

Since 1 April 2021, the number of public devices has increased by 33%, corresponding to 7,500 devices. The number of rapid devices increased by 29%, with an additional 1,235 public devices.

When compared to 1 January 2022 the number of available devices increased by 1,915, up 7%. Over the same period the number of rapid devices increased by 338, again an increase of 7%.

There was an increase in total and rapid devices across all regions of the UK, reports the DfT. However, there is an uneven geographical distribution of charging devices within the UK. “Some UK local authorities have bid for UK government funding for charging devices, and others have not,” notes the department. “Most of the

Rapid charging devices per 100,000 population: 1 April 2022

Source: DfT

provision of this infrastructure has been market-led, with individual charging networks and other businesses (such as hotels) choosing where to install devices.”

London and Scotland had the highest level of charging provision per 100,000 of population, with 111 and 54 devices per 100,000 respectively. In comparison, the average provision in the UK was 45 per 100,000.

Northern Ireland had the lowest level of charging device provision in the UK, with 18 devices per 100,000, followed by the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber with 26 and 27 devices per 100,000 respectively.

Scotland had the highest rate of rapid device provision of 13.6 rapid devices per 100,000, whilst the average provision in the UK was 8.2 per 100,000. Rapid device provision was lowest for

Northern Ireland and Wales, with 1.3 and 5.8 rapid devices per 100,000 respectively.

An interactive map of this data is available online.

All regions across the UK saw an increase in total charging devices between January and March 2022.

London had the greatest increase at 9.4%, whilst Northern Ireland and the North West had the smallest increases at 0.9% and 3.7% respectively.

London also had the greatest increase in absolute number of devices at 863 devices, contributing to 45% of the increase in devices across the UK in this period.

Rapid charging devices have increased in every region in the UK. The smallest percentage increase in the number of rapid devices was in London at 1.9%. Northern Ireland had the largest percentage increase in rapid

DfT launches transport decarbonisation toolkits The UK government has published an online toolkit offering advice to local authorities on planning and taking measures to reduce carbon emissions from transport.

The Transport Decarbonisation Plan recognised the role local areas and regions have in reducing emissions from transport. As part of the plan the Department for Transport (DfT) committed to support this work by publishing a toolkit for local authorities.

The toolkit, which has been developed in partnership with Energy Saving Trust, covers themes such as zero-emission buses, active travel, car clubs, freight and rural transport.

The online collection seeks to assist local

EVolution | May 2022

authorities by: highlighting the benefits of different interventions; setting out the actions local authorities can take to reduce carbon emissions; sharing best practice and lessons learnt from case studies of successful schemes already delivering local benefits; and signposting local authorities to other published guidance and methodologies In parallel, a range of advice for local authorities on electric vehicle charging infrastructure has also been published.

The DfT said: “The toolkit is one example of how we are supporting local authorities to decarbonise transport. We will also make quantifiable carbon reductions a fundamental part of local transport planning and funding and are currently updating

devices at 13.6%, corresponding to an increase of three rapid devices.

“The number of available devices can fluctuate for a range of reasons,” writes the department. “Increases likely reflect the installation of new devices, whilst owners and operators can choose to temporarily or permanently decommission or replace devices. Charging devices can also be unavailable due to faults, maintenance or other restrictions in the area where they are located.”

The charging device location data is sourced from the electric vehicle charging platform Zap-Map and represents devices reported as operational at midnight on 1 April 2022. Zap-Map reports that it covers 95% of publicly accessible devices.

The DfT said: “True counts are likely to be higher and it has no way of assessing whether data coverage is better in some geographical areas than others. There are no other sources with such comprehensive coverage against which we could verify the Zap-Map devices.

“As of 11 April 2022, the National Chargepoint Registry (NCR) covers 20,916 devices so cannot be used to verify the Zap-Map counts. The NCR, whilst covering fewer devices, does contain more detailed information on each charging device including the exact location and number of connectors.”

our guidance on local transport plans to help local authorities do this. We plan to publish the new guidance, along with technical advice on quantifying carbon in this context later in 2022.”

The Transport Decarbonisation Toolkit The local authority toolkit comprises guidance notes on these themes: • Active travel • Car clubs • Decarbonising road freight, servicing and deliveries • Demand responsive transport • Lift sharing • Transport in rural areas • Zero-emission buses • Zero-emission fleets.

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NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF

Volvo tests wireless charging

Electric car hire launches in County Durham

Gothenburg taxis will act as test-beds

Residents in County Durham can now hire an electric vehicle for the day, as part of a new car club service. The county council has been working with Derwent Valley Car Club to help it launch the service in Shotley Bridge.

The car club has three fully electric cars available to borrow, which residents can hire for an hour up to a full day. It costs £5 a month to join the scheme and the hire rate is £4 per hour for the first three hours, then £3 for every hour after that, or £30 to hire the car for a day. There is no geographical limit as to who can join the scheme.

Croydon’s Climate Action Plan EV roll-out Croydon Council is on track to meet the target set out in its Climate Action Plan of installing at least 400 chargepoints by the end of 2022. Three months into the year, the council has 152 chargepoints, over a third of its target, already live.

The latest on-street tranche, installed, operated and maintained by Liberty Charge, includes 44 rapid chargepoints.

It is a part of the governmentfunded Virgin Park and Charge (VPACH) scheme.

Locations of on-street charging points were driven by resident requests, supported by Liberty Charge’s own data that informs on factors such as density of EV ownership, site pavement widths and the technical elements of onstreet installation.

Edinburgh brings in charging fees The City of Edinburgh Council is introducing tariffs for using its electric vehicle chargers from 1 May. The fees, which will be displayed at existing charging points, were agreed as part of the budget-setting process earlier this year. Any revenue generated will be used to fund the ongoing costs associated with electric vehicle charging infrastructure. In March the council began work to introduce 81 chargers (141 bays) in residential streets and park & ride sites. They will be available for use by summer.

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Volvo Cars is integrating and testing wireless charging technology in a live city environment, evaluating its potential for future electric cars.

Over a three-year period, a small fleet of fully electric Volvo XC40 Recharge cars will be used as taxis by Cabonline, a taxi operator in the Nordic region, and charged wirelessly at stations in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The wireless charging test is one of many projects outlined within the strategic initiative Gothenburg Green City Zone, under which designated areas within the city are used as live test beds for the development of sustainable technologies.

“Gothenburg Green City Zone lets us try exciting new technologies in a real environment and evaluate them over time for a potential future broader introduction,” said Mats Moberg, head of research and development at Volvo Cars.

“Testing new charging technologies together with

Volvo XC40 Recharge taxis in Gothenburg

selected partners is a good way to evaluate alternative charging options for our future cars.”

The charging stations used in the test are delivered by Momentum Dynamics, a leading provider of wireless electric charging systems. The charging starts automatically when a compatible vehicle parks over a charging pad embedded in the street, allowing drivers to conveniently charge without getting out of their car.

The charging station sends energy through the charging pad, which is picked up by a receiver unit in the car. To

easily align the car with the charging pad, Volvo Cars will use its 360-degree camera system. For the fully electric XC40 Recharge cars, the wireless charging power will be more than 40kW, making the charging speeds around four times faster than a wired 11kW AC charger and almost as fast as a wired 50kW DC fast charger.

In total, the Volvo cars will be used for more than 12 hours a day and drive 100,000km per year, which also makes this the first durability test of fully electric Volvo cars in a commercial usage scenario.

Egg launches home charging subscription Renewable energy brand Egg has launched a subscriptionbased charging service that will enable EV drivers to charge their cars at home for £30 per month.

The monthly fee includes standard installation of a home charging unit and free maintenance call-outs within two working days.

Installation will require access to off-street parking such as a driveway or garage.

The launch comes as the government’s Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) draws to a close for many homeowners on 31 March.

The EVHS grant contributed up to 75% of the cost of installing a home chargepoint, capped at £350.

Without EVHS, the average

Thomas Newby

cost of hardware and installation for a fast home chargepoint is estimated to be in excess of £1,000, according to independent EV charging comparison site www.RightCharge.co.uk.

“The reality of buying an electric vehicle is that it involves a lot of research and a considerable upfront cost. EVs are an unknown entity to most

drivers and the second-hand market is presently very small, though growing,” says Egg chief executive Thomas Newby. “Installing a home chargepoint should be the most painless part of the process. Egg’s proposition is simple – one affordable, monthly cost that keeps your car moving and offers complete peace of mind.”

The company said paying monthly offers flexibility for customers, especially those who might be considering a house move, or company car drivers who are personally responsible for the cost of installing a home charger if opting for an EV. The 7kW fast chargers are designed to be compatible with all makes of EV.

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NEWS

Electric Forecourt Norwich opens Gridserve unveils electric-only for East of England Electric vehicle charging network operator Gridserve has opened an Electric Forecourt with 36 chargers in Norwich. The forecourt is located at Broadland Gate Business Park in Postwick. It hosts 22 high-power chargers with up to 350kW of power, eight Tesla Superchargers and six low power AC chargers to cater for every type of EV. The Electric Forecourt is designed to be an EV experience destination, where visitors without electric cars can find out more about them, and chat with impartial ‘EV Gurus’ about charging or vehicle leasing options, whilst enjoying well-known brands including Costa Coffee, M&S Food and WHSmith, along with super-fast Wi-Fi and bookable meeting pods.

The Norwich Electric Forecourt more than doubles the number of high-powered chargers in the region.

The Electric Forecourt in Norwich

Norwich and the wider East of England region currently have comparatively low EV charger coverage compared to other regions in the UK, hosting just 29 chargers per 100,000 people compared to the UK average of 42 per 100,000 people, or 102 per 100,000 people in London.

The immediate 10km radius area also has over 40,000 households with no access to off-street parking to accommodate home charging.

The result is that currently EVs only account for 1% of cars on the road in the

Extra MSA Group builds IONITY network

IONITY chargers at an Extra MSA Group service area Extra MSA Group has partnered with the IONITY charging network to launch high-power charging stations for electric vehicles at all its motorway service areas (MSAs) across the UK. The network will help ensure that Extra MSA customers can access ultrafast charging points when undertaking

EVolution | May 2022

long-distance journeys.

IONITY is on track to deliver six highpowered chargers at each site ahead of the UK government’s 2023 target.

IONITY and Extra MSA Group have already installed 38 charging points with a high-speed charging capacity of up to 350kW across all eight of its

Norwich area. In addition, Norwich has received government funding to assess the viability of a zeroemission zone in the city in a bid to cut air pollution from the city centre. If the plan goes ahead, all petrol and diesel vehicles could be banned from the city, making emission free electric vehicles essential.

Gridserve said the facility will help EV drivers to access the city centre and improve connections to surrounding areas such as Ipswich, Cambridge and Peterborough.

MSA locations, with more to follow at existing and proposed new MSA developments.

The IONITY charging stations are geographically spread from Cullompton in the South, to Leeds Skelton Lake in the North.

Andrew Long, chief executive of Extra MSA Group, said:“Technology is rapidly advancing and Extra MSA Group is delighted to be embracing this, working in conjunction with IONITY, which is successfully delivering some of the highest-powered charging stations on the motorway network.

“At Extra MSA Group, we are committed to providing all road users with a safe environment to take a break from their journeys, rest and refuel in high quality, comfortable facilities. Our work with IONITY further enhances these overall objectives.”

Andreas Atkins, country manager UK & Ireland at IONITY, added:“IONITY’s continued partnership with Extra MSA Group demonstrates our commitment to drive forward the transition to electric mobility. Our state-of-the-art high-power charging technology will enable drivers to travel hassle-free across the country and charge their

The Norwich Electric Forecourt showcases electric motoring. Test drives of electric cars can be booked via its EV experience centre.

Toddington Harper, chief executive of Gridserve, said: “Giving drivers the confidence to switch to an electric vehicle and enabling a widespread transition away from fossil fuel vehicles is a central aim of our Electric Forecourts.

That’s why we have put the consumer at the heart of our design, with our Electric Forecourts serving the needs of local communities in their transition to electric vehicles.

“The Norwich Electric Forecourt showcases a brand new design, where we have been able to provide both charging and a great customer experience in a smaller footprint than our first site at Braintree. By elevating the facilities above the chargers, we make the best use of the space available and are able to deliver a great EV experience without compromise, even when space is at a premium and sites are more constrained.”

EV in the time it takes them to enjoy a cup of coffee at the Extra facilities.

“Serving up to 350kW charging capacity, our chargers work rapidly using 100% renewable energy – making for not only emission-free but carbon neutral driving and the installation of these in a network that connects drivers right across the country will make for a future of reliable journeys and quick stops for sustainable vehicles.”

All electricity supplied is from 100% renewable sources to achieve high environmental standards. All of Extra MSA Group’s locations also have the capacity to increase the number of EV charging points as customer demand increases.

IONITY builds and operates a highpower charging (HPC) network along Europe’s highways, using state-of-theart technology with a charging capacity of up to 350 kW. IONITY was founded in 2017 and is a joint venture by BMW Group, Mercedes Benz AG, Ford Motor Company, Hyundai Motor Group and the Volkswagen Group with Audi and Porsche.The company is headquartered in Munich with an additional office in Oslo, Norway.

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ACCESSIBILITY

Mat Campbell-Hill

Equal access benefits all People with disabilities share their desire for easier to use EV infrastructure

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ome groups risk being unfairly excluded from the transition to electrified transport and are calling for proactive measures to deliver an inclusive net zero, warns a report by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution.

SSEN welcomes the government’s recognition of the need to ensure chargepoints are inclusively designed and its commitment to publish standards for charging infrastructure by summer 2022.

However, an inclusive transition to net zero must ensure a wide range of physical and mental abilities are considered to avoid excluding some groups of people from the transition to EVs. The Equal EV report, produced for SSEN by the Energy Systems Catapult,

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maps out customer journeys for people with disabilities and vulnerabilities such as high levels of anxiety, which is experienced by an estimated 6.6% of UK adults in any given week.

The customer journeys cover the stages of switching to an EV: • acquisition (contemplation, investigation, and decision) • familiarisation • charging at home • charging away from home • smart charging • making long journeys.

People with mobility impairments were most likely to highlight pain points around acquiring an EV and using public chargepoints. People with high levels of

anxiety identified pain points at all stages of the customer journey, including concerns around making a long journey.

The second stage of the Equal EV project examined the viability of technology to remove those barriers and proposed measures to tackle the issues. It also identified potential roles for electricity distribution network operators (DNOs), like SSEN. Mat Campbell-Hill, former Team GB athlete and interviewee for Equal EV project said: “We need the infrastructure in place to support the take-up of electric vehicles. As it stands, the infrastructure being built ignores the accessibility needs of the general population.

“People with mobility issues may have disabilities, like me, but include anyone

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ACCESSIBILITY

Mat: If you improve accessibility for one group, you improve it for everyone

Nigel: I have found chargers inaccessible to somebody in a wheelchai

Should people with disabilities have to rely on the kindness of strangers?

Simone: One of the concerns I have when it comes to charging an electric vehicle is the dexterity needed to plug in the charging cable

with children, with shopping, who is pregnant, or who has injured themselves.

Sufficient space around the vehicles, dropped curbs and well-designed charging cables can benefit everyone and would help make the transition to clean, green transport a real option for everybody. The default for public EV chargepoints should be that every point is accessible unless there is a powerful reason why it cannot be. We have to get this right first time.”

To mark publication of the Equal EV report, SSEN has published videos featuring interviews with drivers who have disabilities and a strong interest in EVs. The drivers give powerful examples of the challenges they face and how the current public EV charging infrastructure is failing people like them.

The Equal EV project was the first time a DNO in the UK had examined barriers and challenges faced by motorists with disabilities and vulnerabilities in transitioning to EVs. Building on this project, SSEN will be working with Disabled Motoring UK to continue to raise and address the issues

EVolution | May 2022

faced by drivers and ensure a fair transition to electrified transport.

Sales of EVs are increasing rapidly in the UK, totalling nearly 18% of all vehicle sales in the UK in March. Public chargepoint provision is also increasing and the government anticipates a tenfold increase by 2030 (with over 30,000 installed today). While these changes are welcome the potential difficulties faced by key groups of people when considering adopting an EV have received relatively little consideration to date.

Lisa Doogan, head of customer service and stakeholder strategy at SSEN said: “This essential project has given us vital insights into how we can help ensure that the transition to electrified transport is smart and fair for all our 3.8m customers.

We do not believe that groups of people should be excluded from new technology or services because their needs are different. Our reports and interviews with people who have mobility and mental health issues shows there is a lot that can be done to ensure the net zero future can be shared by everyone.”

Three voices Video interviews were held with three disabled people who shared their experiences and aspirations Mat, who has been an EV driver since 2018 and was a Team GB athlete in wheelchair fencing. He said: ‘Ensuring public EV chargepoints are accessible will benefit people with disabilities, but equally will help anyone with their hands full when holding a baby or holding shopping. If you improve accessibility for one group, you improve it for everyone.”

Nigel, who is an EV driver found that “it does just come down to the fact that there aren’t enough charging points,” and many are poorly designed.

“On my own, on a number of occasions I have found that the charger is completely inaccessible to somebody in a wheelchair and without the kindness of strangers, I would have been completely stuck.”

Simone, who is considering switching to an EV, said:“Some of the concerns I have when it comes to charging an electric vehicle is the dexterity needed to plug in the charging cable. Those things are convenient for most people... but I am not most people.”

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ANALYSIS

Drivers want faster en route charging What types of public charging points do you use?

Zap-Map EV Charging Survey reveals latest user trends and experiences

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here has been a marked increase in the use of ultra-rapid chargers across the UK, which indicates both a willingness by electric vehicle owners to drive further and a better distribution of the more powerful terminals across the UK. The increasing popularity of ultrarapid chargers is one of the findings of the annual Zap-Map EV Charging Survey, which provides insight into the experience of 3,000 EV drivers across the UK. The survey reveals changes in driver behaviour, most notably in the area of high-powered, en route charging and the increasing popularity of charging hubs.

The annual study also reveals high levels of satisfaction among EV drivers, who are increasingly confident about driving long distances, with less than 1% wanting to go back to petrol or diesel.

Zap-Map has also published a top 18 ranking of charging networks based on driver satisfaction, with the top three networks being InstaVolt, MFG EV Power and Osprey.

The rise of rapids and hubs The new report presents the results from the survey conducted in 2021 together with findings from previous annual surveys in 2017-2020. The results confirm that the vast majority of EV drivers (93%) use the UK’s public charging networks, with 40% using public chargers at least once a week.

There had been significant increase in both the installation and usage of highpowered – also known as ultra-rapid – charging devices across the country in 2021. While rapid chargers (25kW – 99kW) are still used by the most EV drivers overall, the survey found that the usage of ultra-rapid chargers jumped to 27% of EV drivers – up from just 16% in the previous survey.

In part, the increase in usage is being driven by the growing number of ultrarapid chargers that are now available to use, with the number of ultra-rapid devices available growing by 60% in 2021.

However, Zap-Map believes it also provides an indication that the new ultrarapids are fulfilling demand from EV drivers travelling longer distances, with most new EVs now able to charge at the higher speed.

Ultra-rapid 100kW+ devices are prime examples of en route charging, which is when drivers want to charge their EV as

EVolution | May 2022

User satisfaction: the top charging networks EV Network InstaVolt MFG EV Power Osprey Pod Point Gridserve Electric Highway Shell Recharge NewMotion IONITY Ubitricity Swarco E.connect GeniePoint ESB Energy ChargePlace Scotland Source London EV Charge Online bp pulse Charge Your Car Ecotricity Electric Highway (legacy)

Rank 1 2 3 4 =5 =5 =7 =7 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Rating 4.4 4.2 4.0 3.8 3.6 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.3 3.1 3.0 2.9 2.7 2.6 2.5 2.4

Rank 2 n/a 3 4 n/a 6 8 10 n/a 5 12 7 9 14 n/a 13 15

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2.0

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Note: Tesla was removed from the rankings because its Superchargers are only available to Tesla drivers Source: Zap-Map

quickly as possible. Zap-Map said that for this reason, and because drivers want to be confident that such devices will be available to use upon arrival, another trend that the survey highlights is the growth in popularity of EV charging hubs.

Typically groups of between four and ten charging devices, hubs predominantly sport rapid or ultra-rapid devices that

Ultra-rapid chargers and hubs are a crucial area of investment

enable drivers to add between 70 and 200 miles of charge in around 30 minutes. The survey found that networks installing charging hubs saw particularly high increases in demand from EV drivers.

InstaVolt, for example, leapt up to 42% of EV drivers – from 26% previously. The Gridserve Electric Highway, at 29%, proved popular for its first year, while high-powered networks IONITY and Osprey saw increases in use.

Supermarkets and service areas While charging hubs demonstrated the most growth in terms of usage, supermarkets and motorway service areas retained the top two positions, with 52% and 50% of respondents respectively saying they regularly used these types of location. Indeed, supermarkets have seen a significant increase in chargepoints being installed, and chargepoints at motorway service areas have seen charging facilities being upgraded over the last year by Gridserve. In addition, both retail and public car parks remain popular locations for charging, although usage has dipped in the last year.

Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder and chief executive of Gridserve, said: “As the number of EV drivers on the road approaches half-a-million, a robust charging infrastructure is essential, and the public charging network is growing and developing to meet these changing needs. This new survey shows that the 60% growth in high speed ultra-rapid chargers and the installation of charging hubs across the UK in 2021 are being used by an increasing proportion of EV drivers.

We know that EV charging use cases are diverse, as the survey makes clear, and we absolutely need a range of charge speeds to match them. However, amongst other considerations, the demand for highpowered chargers revealed in this report indicates that ultra-rapid chargers and charging hubs continue to be a crucial area of investment – for the simple fact that they make long journeys easier.”

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BUSINESS

Sevadis teams up with Fuuse Integrated back office solution for chargepoint owners Sevadis, a supplier of electric vehicle charging products in the UK, is working with chargepoint management system Fuuse to offer a full turnkey solution for commercial customers and fleets.

Sevadis’ customers can now manage their entire EV network with Fuuse, regardless of number of chargers or sites. Businesses can manage payments and tariffs, opening hours and driver access whilst monitoring the status and performance of their chargers.

Meanwhile, installers can manage and monitor their entire EV charging portfolios.

Installers could benefit from recurring revenues with Fuuse’s white labelled back office solution, plus features like remote click-to-fix maintenance and comprehensive charging

A Savedis chargepoint

insights providing additional service opportunities.

The companies are both OCPP (open chargepoint protocol) compliant, meaning there is compatibility and interoperability between their hardware and software.

The integration means client businesses will have access to an end-to-end service spanning project conception to completion and beyond.

They will also have full control and visibility over their

EZ-Charge ramps up production British electric car charging specialist EZ-Charge is to ramp-up production of its selfdeveloped 22kWh charging unit. The Oxfordshire-based start-up reports an upsurge in enquiries following the announcement of the government’s new Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy.

EZ-Charge’s range encompasses home chargers to 50kWh rapids. The company expects a lot of interest will be shown by local authorities in its 22kWh model that accepts contactless payment.

EZ-Charge founder and chief executive Phil Shadbolt OBE said: “We were thrilled when the government announced its new strategy and even happier when we realised that the charger features demanded by the new

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An EZ-Charge terminal

legislation had been built into our chargers as ‘must-haves’ from the very beginning.

“However, we were not expecting the announcement to translate into actual interest from potential customers quite so quickly. We’ve literally been overwhelmed and we’ve had to go back to the drawing board to dramatically revise our production schedule upwards.”

charging network.

Craig Slater, managing director of Sevadis, said: “Installers play an often overseen pivotal role in the EV revolution, which is why we’re partnering with Fuuse to encourage current and next generation chargepoint installers to grow their businesses whilst pushing EV rollout forward.

“Our entire range of EV charging points are OCPP compliant, so to collaborate

with Fuuse provides both parties as well as our customers with significant opportunities as the demand for EV charging increases over time. We’re delighted to be offering the opportunity for our customers to benefit from the complete flexibility the system facilitates including public billing and intelligent insights, as well as upcoming innovations of fleet smart charging, dynamic load balancing, reservations and true charger status alerts with occupancy sensors.”

Michael Gibson, chief executive of Fuuse, said: “Sevadis echoes our own belief that the installer community are integral to pushing EV roll out forward. Together we’ll be helping businesses transition their own fleets: balancing their entire fleets’ charging needs with those of the grid and their site(s) as a whole. In addition we’ll be responding to the increasing demand for public infrastructure needs from local authorities, destinations and retailers.”

GreenFlux and Osprey establish roaming connection for European drivers in UK European electric vehicle drivers will be able to use their existing apps and payment cards when in the UK following a roaming agreement being signed between GreenFlux and the Osprey Charging Network.

Osprey has become among the first UK networks to open its chargers at this scale to drivers from mainland Europe. Osprey operates more than 300 fast chargers in over 180 locations. The network spans across the entire country, from Cornwall in the southwest to Perthshire in Scotland.

Osprey’s charging stations are colocated with food and beverage and retail venues in towns and along major motorways and A-roads.

GreenFlux is a provider of EV charging software and services used by nearly 90,000 EV drivers in Europe. As part of the roaming agreement, drivers served by each of GreenFlux’s EMSP customers can seamlessly access all 300 chargers, and Osprey’s future chargepoints (set to double in 2022), using their

usual apps and charge cards.

“One of Osprey’s core values is inclusivity for all drivers, and part of the way we achieve this is through being an open-access network. We believe by facilitating roaming with like-minded partners such as GreenFlux we can play a leading role in the electrification of transport – by giving fleet operators, companies who cross borders, and long-distance drivers, a chargepoint network they can rely on away from home,” says Dora Clarke, head of marketing and communications at Osprey. “Opening up our charging points to European drivers on this scale with GreenFlux is a UK-first.”

Dan Pezim, product manager billing and roaming at GreenFlux, said: “The partnership with Osprey is the latest in a series of international connections, and an important step towards increasing our roaming coverage in the UK. With this agreement, we enhance the value provided to our platform customers, and help make EV charging more convenient for drivers.”

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BUSINESS PEOPLE NEWS Sloman becomes Paythru’s director of future fleet

CTEK expands support team Vehicle charging solutions provider CTEK has expanded its UK energy and facilities (E&F) team, which provides training, maintenance, sales, marketing and technical support for car park and chargepoint operators.

CTEK has also partnered with West Midlands-based Rotronics Battery Management Solutions to provide a dedicated UK fulfilment operation.

Rotronics is providing a warehousing facility, processing orders, configuring CTEK’s Chargestorm Connected 2 EV chargers to customers’ specifications and managing UK distribution.

CTEK’s EV charging team has expanded with two new sales managers, Mohammed Shi Hub and Nathan Courts, dedicated to chargepoint operators, car park operators and property owners, along with Kaya Ferdinand, covering large chargepoint operators.

Ian Beattie and Adrian Hopkinson have joined the team to cover electrical wholesale customers and

installers. CTEK also recently expanded its aftermarket team with the appointment of Mark Poole.

CTEK’s dedicated Skillbase team – comprising Vicktors Nikolajevs, Tony Zeal and Sean Reed – provides external and in-house training on CTEK’s EV products and solutions.

Technical support and expertise is provided by CTEK’s Jack Baker, working closely with CTEK’s support alliances and partnerships manager, Stewart Allen.

Marketing activities are led by Katharine Parker.

Cecilia Routledge, global director energy and facilities for CTEK, said: “We have expanded our UK team to provide unrivalled expertise, training, sales and technical support in the field of EV technology. We are also partnering with Rotronics to ensure that we can meet growing customer demand for EV solutions quickly and efficiently.

“The UK is a core market for us, and our 12-strong UK team

is here to support chargepoint and car park operators with the development of robust, reliable EV charging installations, which is a vital component in the development of sustainable transport to meet the UK’s environmental goals, as we head along the ‘Road to Zero’.

“Central to CTEK’s proposal is that we don’t just sell wall boxes – we are focussed on working with installers to develop complete, futureproofed EV solutions including software applications, load balancing and remote, online system management.

“Our team is here to work with installers right through the process. This includes helping to scope and plan the project based on customers’ needs and expectations, advice on the government grants available, choosing the right charger, integration with customers’ existing systems and equipment, assistance during the commissioning process and full technical after sales support.”

The CTEK warehousing, fulfilment and system configuration operation at Rotronics, Darlaston, West Midlands

EVolution | May 2022

Payments technology company Paythru has appointed Sara Sloman as director of future fleet.

She joins the company from Elmtronics, where she held the role of head of future mobility partnerships. “A key part of my role will be to ensure we are putting the user experience at the heart of smart mobility infrastructure,” she said. “The first hurdle is always getting the right chargers in the right place, but now it is also about establishing the behind-the-scenes interface between the multiple parties that will underpin the success of our transition away from internal combustion engines.”

Moloughney advises ZipCharge

Portable EV charging technology developer ZipCharge has formed a product advisory board whose first member is US-based electric vehicle and charging expert Tom Moloughney. The advisory board will focus on providing development feedback for the ZipCharge Go portable EV charger, future products and software services.The board will initially comprise four EV ‘superusers’ from key global EV markets who possess an knowledge of EV charging and smart energy management.

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TECHNOLOGY

ZipCharge unveils the GoHub Hubs will provide shared access to Go portable EV charging powerbanks

Z

ipCharge used Earth Day to reveal the GoHub, an infrastructure that makes the company’s portable electric vehicle chargers available for shared public use. The GoHub is designed to provide a community-based solution that can be installed at a much lower cost and at a much faster rate than fixed chargers, enabling any parking space to be a charging spot.

ZipCharge said the ability to roll-out EV charging infrastructure at speed is essential to allow national and local governments to deploy it at a faster rate where it is needed the most to support mass EV adoption.

EV owners now have the choice to purchase the Go outright, on subscription or rent one through the GoHub. Each GoHub will hold multiple ZipCharge Go EV powerbanks to address the need for convenient, flexible and lowcost energy. The GoHub station is modular and flexible in size, making it suitable for a diverse range of locations, including on-street, in car parks, at work and in private environments.

Speaking on 22 April, ZipCharge cofounder Jonathan Carrier said: “We intend to establish the world’s first vertically integrated ‘energy point operator’ (EPO) to serve hundreds of millions of people around the world so everyone can access convenient and low-cost energy. The ZipCharge Go and the GoHub enable the storage of clean energy, which can then be distributed for a multitude of uses from charging an EV to powering equipment.

“We predict our portable powerbanks will outsell fixed home chargers by 2030, in the same way mobile phones overtook landlines. That’s because the Go can be used for more than EV charging, it’s a portable energy storage device for personal energy management. We have the bold ambition to deploy 100,000 GoHubs globally by 2030 to support EV charging, local grid resiliency and energy democracy.”

ZipCharge co-founder Richie Sibal added: “The Go and the GoHub are integral components of our future energy platform, one that combines hardware, software and distributed energy storage in the home and our public energy points to provide a wide range of energy services for our customers. We will use technology to solve the inequality that exists around access to charging and energy by placing a

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The GoHub

ZipCharge Go unit within five minutes walk of where people live and park.”

In its base form, the GoHub comes in two variants: a single sided unit houses five ZipCharge Go portable powerbanks; or a double-sided GoHub with ten. Both are designed to fit comfortably into a regular parking space. The hub can also be sited on the pavement or close to where power already exists. The company said GoHubs can be intelligently reconfigured, expanded and connected together, growing in tandem with the adoption of electric vehicles.

Through the GoHub, ZipCharge Go powerbanks will be available to rent 24 hours a day with the option to pre-reserve a Go in the app. As the user approaches the correct bay door of the GoHub automatically opens. They then pull out the charger from its dock inside the GoHub, wheel it to the vehicle and plug-it in. Once finished, the user is notified on their smart phone, they collect the Go and return it to the bay allocated via the app.

Anytime access will allow anyone to use a Go powerbank for a simple to understand fee: £1, €1 or $1 for a 4kWh charge with no connection fee. ZipCharge thinks this simple pricing arrangement allows everyone to know what their daily driving will cost.

ZipCharge aims to provide lower prices per kWh compared to fixed AC charging given the integrated energy storage system in the GoHub allows ZipCharge to take cleaner, cheaper electricity overnight.

The GoHub integrates a range of optional technologies including: rainwater harvesting; Wi-Fi hotspot; mobile device charging; a green living roof and

renewable energy generation, including innovative wind turbines suitable for both urban and rural environments developed

by Flower Turbines in the Netherlands.

The GoHub can also provide sustainable charging solutions for other forms of mobility with an optional micromobility docking station for e-scooters and e-bikes that integrates with any provider.

The GoHubs re-use end-of-life batteries from the ZipCharge Go as the integrated energy storage system (ESS), creating a circular approach to extending battery life and usability, while also lowering cost.

The integrated ESS in the GoHubs is designed to provide resiliency to the local grid by charging the Go chargers at times of peak grid demand, feeding the portable chargers at times of peak energy demand, reducing grid dependence and building resiliency.

ZipCharge claims its GoHubs will cost a third the price of fixed on street level 2 chargers to install, transforming the payback period for AC public charging from 8-10 years to less than two. The company said this would allow the government and public funding support to install more chargers in more locations.

GoHubs could also be placed where the grid can best cope with the extra load, as well as being far less disruptive to the streetscape.

GoHubs will come with a suite of technology support. They will all be networked to the ZipCharge cloud and back-office with energy management and remote monitoring software to ensure operational safety and optimise charging costs and energy use.

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TECHNOLOGY

Urban Mobile Charging pilot launched Trials planned for Czech Republic, Netherlands and Germany As electric vehicle ownership rises across Europe, the availability of sufficient charging infrastructure is a growing concern both for cities and drivers alike.

Networks of fast chargers are seen as a solution, but in contrast to slow charging stations, fast-charging stations significantly load local electricity networks so cannot be installed everywhere. For example, it is difficult to install fast chargers in urban areas such as historic city centres, car parks or apartment blocks where the electricity network capacity extensions could be very costly.

One solution to improve the availability of fast charging is to bring a fast-charging station to an electric vehicle. Interest in this idea has led to the development of the UMC (Urban Mobile Charging) programme, which is

The NimBee mobile charger

supported by EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), which is a body of the European Union. The UMC will see mobile charging systems and techniques trialled in three cities – Zilina in the Czech Republic, Helmond in The Netherlands and Braunschweig in Germany.

UMC aims to create a service for fast, mobile, renewable, on-demand EV charging in the three trial EU cities to ensure drivers have

access to charging when needed and suitable without excessive use of cities space and infrastructure. This will be done via a ‘charging-as-aservice’ approach that is easier for drivers.

The service will be based on the NimBee solution developed

by Nimble Energy which brings the battery-backed charger to where the car is parked while at the same time providing demand-side flexibility for the grid. The aim is to develop an autonomous charging robot in 2023. A pilot

operation has been launched in Prague, Czech Republic.

Jan Šamal, chief executive of Nimble and creator of the NimBee idea, said: “I want to rid the owners of electric cars of their dependence on charging stations. Why should you drive to a charger when a charger can come to you?

NimBee is electromobility minus the hassle.”

UMC demonstration 1: The first public demonstration of UMC will take place in the Czech city of Zilina next month. A mobile crew will respond to app requests for the mobile battery DC NimBee charger, which will be transported on a car trailer to the EV driver’s location.

UMC demonstration 2: The second demo is planned to take place in the Dutch city of Helmond in early 2023. This will be focussed on testing an UMC charging unit as a static self-service to charge EV. UMC demonstration 3: The third demo will be take place in Braunschweig, Germany, in late 2023 with the aim of providing a fully autonomous charging unit in a car park.

Ohme becomes EV charger provider for Motability scheme Ohme has become the official EV charger provider for customers on the Motability Scheme. The partnership with Motability Operations will help make the switch to electric easier for disabled people through reliable, personal e-mobility.

Motability provides mobility to more than 640,000 customers who exchange their higher rate mobility allowance to lease a new vehicle.

Motability Operations delivers the scheme under contract to Motability. It is the largest fleet operator in the UK. “Our customers have over 600,000 cars on the road in the UK,” said Andrew Miller, chief executive of Motability Operations. “To make the transition to electric as easy as

EVolution | May 2022

possible for our customers we have to find practical and affordable ways for them to charge their vehicles and help to reduce anxiety over range.”

Ohme said its Home Pro smart charger will enable Motability Scheme customers to save money when charging by enabling them to pre-set their charging periods when prices are lower and also when renewable energy generation is at its highest.

Ohme chief executive David Watson said: “Our Home Pro is the best EV smart charger on the market and can help to reduce charging costs and CO2 by up to 70% compared to standard charging, so we are looking forward to helping Motability customers realise those savings.”

BP orders Tritium fast chargers Tritium, a manufacturer of direct current (DC) fast chargers for electric vehicles has entered into a multi-year contract with BP. Tritium will supply EV chargers and related services to support BP’s global EV charging network.

BP has placed an initial order of just under 1,000 chargers for the UK, Australian and New Zealand markets.

Richard Bartlett, senior vice president at bp pulse, said:“This new global agreement with Tritium, it will help bp pulse deliver its mission to provide fast, reliable charging for EV drivers and to accelerate the roll-out of the charging infrastructure needed

as the world transitions to decarbonise road transport.”

Tritium’s chief executive Jane Hunter said:“The electrification of transportation is entering an incredible era when major companies like bp are providing critical support to transition the world to cleaner more reliable transportation.

“We’re thrilled to be working with BP to create greater global access to fast charging in support of their mission to become a net zero company by 2050 and to be a leader in helping the world get to net zero emissions.”

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Organised by:

Headline Sponsor:

Event partners:

Supported by:

Creating connected spaces that encourage sustainable travel

Wednesday 25 May 2022 l 15 Hatfields, London SE1 The idea of providing a concentration of mobility services at one place is emerging as a way of creating sustainable public transport systems.

When reimagined as mobility hubs, car parks are no longer just places to store vehicles. Instead they become positive places that offer co-located services such as electric vehicle (EV) charging and shared mobility services.

Speakers

Exhibitors

Confirmed speakers and panellists taking part in Mobility Hubs 2022 include:

Confirmed exhibitors include:

l Mihir Benison, Arup l Matthew Clark, Steer l Carl Cook, Mobilize Power Solutions l Keith Fisken, SEStran

Mobility hubs also represent the next step in the evolution of park & ride services, which will become genuine interchanges where people can switch from private cars to buses, trains, cycles and walking.

l Sam Hunn, Fonix

l Matthew Ledbury, CoMoUK

Sponsorship & exhibition

EV hubs offer drivers access to chargepoints in car parks at destinations such as shopping centres or in service area style facilities on major roads. The parallel emergence of service hubs is seeing other car parks acting as bases for logistics services and a range of activities such as ‘dark kitchens’ and ‘dark stores’.

l Jennie Martin, ITS (UK)

The event’s exhibition provides an excellent opportunity to showcase your systems and services. To find out how your organisation can be part of the day contact Jason Conboy on: jason.conboy@landor.co.uk

This one-day conference will see speakers and expert panels explore the design, implementation and operation of mobility, EV and service hubs.

l Fiona Jenkins, Steer l Habib Khan, Meristem Design

l Paul Moorby OBE, Chipside l Tina Mould, Oxford City Council l Grace Packard, Voi l Fiona Petch, Fatkin l Mark Potter, Potter Church & Holmes Architects l Georgia Yexley, TIER Mobility More speakers to be confirmed soon

www.mobilityhubs.uk

Delegate rates First Delegate

£225 + VAT

Additional Delegate

£150 + VAT