GreenFleet 136 Best Practice Guide

Guide

Best practice advice to help businesses on their journey to zero-emission fleet operations

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GreenFleet DRIVING THE SWITCH TO CLEANER FLEETS

02 EV Best Practice From the vehicles, to charging, to energy tariffs and staff training, there is a lot to consider when implementing zero or ultralow emission vehicles into an organisation’s fleet. The Energy Saving Trust shares some tips

04 EV Charging Charging infrastructure is equally as important as the vehicles themselves for an effective transition to electric.

So how can costly mistakes be avoided when installing chargepoints?

11 Fleet Efficiency With more than 4,850 members, the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) is well-established as the go-to accreditation scheme for fleet best practice. October saw the latest FORS Standard unveiled – Version 6.0. Here are the details

14 Interview: Centrica Steve Winter, head of fleet at Centrica – the parent company of British Gas, chats to GreenFleet about the company’s electric vehicle journey and what lessons have been learnt, as well as what best practice advice he can offer other organisations

06 Procurement Effective procurement, expert fleet guidance, telematics, driver training, tyre choice and charging infrastructure are all part of an efficient, cost effective and safe green fleet strategy. Holly Brooks from CCS shares some guidance

Best Practice Guide

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

EV food for thought From the vehicles, to charging, energy tariffs and staff training, there is a lot that should be considered when implementing zero or ultra-low emission vehicles into an organisation. The Energy Saving Trust shares some tips top-up charges throughout the day. For A common reason for under utilisation of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, remember electric vehicles within a fleet is a lack of to keep these charged daily to maximise charging infrastructure to support them. electric miles, minimise petrol consumption It sounds simple but ensuring charging and ensure your costs are kept low. infrastructure is in place at the point of The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) EVs being deployed into the fleet will is a voucher-based scheme that provides build staff confidence in the vehicles support towards the up-front costs of and reduce any underlying range the purchase and installation of anxiety they may have. electric vehicle charge-points, If you have multiple work for eligible businesses, sites and vehicles often Create charities and public travel back and forth, and im sector organisations. consider installing a clear plement travel p The grant cap is now charge points at olicy prioritis set at £350 per socket each site to allow in g the u of zero and it covers up to 40 s e sockets per company. emissio and ultra low n vehic The minimum technical specification for the petrol a les over nd Workplace Charging diesel Scheme has been updated.

Chargepoint models under ‘fast DC’ with a charging output greater than 3.5kW and not greater than 22kW are now eligible.

EST meanwhile offers grant funding for workplaces in Scotland to install charging infrastructure, and for staff who drive a ULEV as their designated company vehicle.

Organisations should also ensure staff are aware of the Electric Vehicle Home Charge Scheme from OLEV. This provides grant funding of up to 75 per cent towards the cost of installing electric vehicle chargepoints at domestic properties across the UK, and the grand will only support smart chargepoints.

Implement a travel policy Create and implement a clear travel policy prioritising the use of zero and ultra low emission vehicles

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over petrol and diesel counterparts, endorsed by the senior management team. Ensure this is effectively communicated to all existing staff and is included in new staff inductions.

To further reduce costs and minimise petrol/ diesel vehicle use, EST recommend travel policies are built around a low carbon travel hierarchy. Low carbon travel hierarchies should prioritise active travel i.e. walking, cycling and public transport, followed by zero or ultra-low emission vehicles and pool cars. Staff should be discouraged from using their own grey fleet unless there are no alternative options.

Staff familiarisation training Familiarising staff with electric vehicles before booking work trips will build confidence and improve their overall experience when driving.

Familiarisation training can vary depending on the staff member’s experience, from how to operate the vehicle, to using public charge points, through to driving electric and plug-in vehicles efficiently and making the most of the regenerative braking. Once some staff are comfortable using the organisation’s EVs they could champion the vehicles and provide inductions to their colleagues.

Speed has a larger impact on EV range compared to conventional vehicles, so it is important staff are aware of this in advance to plan their journeys effectively. Learning driving techniques to maximise regenerative braking will not only improve driver safety but will further demonstrate the efficiency of these vehicles compared to petrol/ diesel equivalents. Try introducing friendly competition by tracking the kWh/mile of each journey to incentivise efficient driving.

Charge when electricity is cheap The time of day that EVs are charged can have a huge impact on the cost savings achieved. Your organisation will likely be billed for electricity consumption across set time bands or half hourly which means

Best Practice Guide

SPONSOR’S COMMENT paying higher tariffs during peak demand. The cost of electricity is at its lowest overnight when demand is low. Fully charging your vehicles overnight and avoiding peak energy times as often as possible will increase your cost savings and help ensure your vehicles are powered by cleaner energy.

Technology is the key to meeting decarbonisation deadlines

Combine with on-site renewables and battery storage On-site renewable electricity systems, such as solar photovoltaics (PV) and wind turbines, can not only save your organisation money, but can further support the decarbonisation of your fleet by generating clean electricity. Sunlight and wind provide free fuel.Once the technology is in place you will see reductions in electricity costs and a reduction in your organisation’s carbon footprint. For example, a 4kWp solar PV system can generate around 4,200kWh annually in London or 3,200kWh annually in Scotland – that’s the same amount of electricity required to drive a 41kWh Renault Zoe around 12,600 miles in London, or 10,000 miles in Scotland.

You may have the roof space to install a system significantly larger than 4kWp, which is typically more cost-effective in the long run. While your vehicle is on the road, the green electricity generated by your renewable systems will either power your building or go back into the grid. However, if you wish to store this energy, a battery storage system allows you to capture this clean energy and save it for a time that is useful, i.e. charging your vehicle during peak electricity demand. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

Colin Ferguson, co-founder and CEO, The Algorithm People

The Algorithm People harnesses the power of advanced mathematics, machine learning and artificial intelligence to identify the right placement for electric vehicles within fleets, and to optimise every commercial vehicle so that costs and fuel usage are minimised.

Decarbonisation is unknown territory for most fleets.

Decades of conventional fleet management experience cannot help professionals know which applications, contracts or journeys can use EVs and maximise return on investment.

Luckily our algorithms do exactly that. We work within all road transport sectors, including multi-stop, logistics and service fleets. We analyse journey patterns to show exactly where electric vehicles can effectively be swapped for diesel vehicles.

Our unique EV toolkit revealed that Yorkshire Water could electrify 88 per cent of its vehicles, and that 95 per cent would not require top-up charging. This ground-breaking analysis will help the company achieve its ambitious goal of NetZero by 2030.

Asset optimisation is another crucial step, reducing the number of assets required, mileage, air pollution and greenhouse emissions. Our optimisation tools require no lengthy consultations or financial risk. Your fleet can start today. Log into My Transport Planner and save up to 30 per cent of your fleet costs for as little as 49p per vehicle.

And, as you start to add electric vehicles to your fleet, My Transport Planner will optimise those too, taking into account charging, range, payload and all the other relevant factors.

Our machine learning means your fleet will continue to improve efficiency as real-world data pours in.

And our artificial intelligence is enabling revolutionary logistics solutions, to reduce the need for back-to-base reloading, and to reduce the number of HGVs in city centres.

Greening our fleets is no longer optional. The Algorithm People can help ensure your green choices are informed, cost-effective and operationally advantageous. L FURTHER INFORMATION thealgorithmpeople.co.uk

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Best Practice Guide Written by Cenex

EV CHARGING

What’s your chargepoint strategy?

While choosing the right vehicles is the first step of the journey to electrification, considerations about charging infrastructure are equally as important for an effective transition. So how can costly mistakes be avoided when installing chargepoints?

With the impending 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans, and a raft of other policies in the pipeline, fleet owners who sow early for the switch to electric will reap the environmental and economic benefits.

Choosing the right vehicles is the first step of the journey, and considerations about charging infrastructure are equally as important for an effective transition.

“Independent infrastructure assessments are an important step in transitioning your fleet to electric, in order to optimise the chargepoints installed and ensure your site can meet the charging demands of your fleet,” says Dominic McMahon, electric vehicle infrastructure expert at Cenex.

“By planning early and setting out a long-term strategy you can account for future demands and allow for developments in electric vehicle technology.

“Making informed decisions early on can save a lot of money and stress further down the line.”

to be done on-site will impact the type and number of chargepoints installed.

“From an operational point of view, installing and recharging electric vehicles from your premises’ might not be efficient if your drivers cover large distances or use the vehicles for most of the day,” McMahon says.

“This can mean chargepoints are underutilised and not cost-effective, when there are other options already installed”.

Drivers who complete large mileage across a region can make use of the public chargepoint network which is swiftly expanding and increasingly made up of rapid chargepoints, offering over 100 miles of charge in 20 minutes for a growing number of vehicle models.

Another alternative could be to utilise home-based charging where applicable, with software offering solutions for managing expenses, which means employees can avoid an additional journey to collect their fleet vehicle.

Grid connection The Vehicles The premises’ electrical supply a m ount In the first instance, and capacity also impacts the of char managers should charging infrastructure. g i n g that wi review their

In Cenex’s experience, business and this is the most variable be donll need to fleet operations, cost and is highly will imp e on-site including the location dependent. act the type and nu expected vehicle

On-site charging of your mber o mileage, the types fleet contributes an additional, f c h argepo of vehicles likely to and considerable, electrical installe ints be needed, and how load and if this cannot fit within d those requirements the existing supply headroom, the will evolve over time. premises may require an upgrade.

While there are many The ownership of the depot location and like-for-like replacements, it might be that length of future lease are key considerations electric vehicles are not the best option right before grid upgrades are made as landlord now, and there are other ways to reduce approvals may be required; cost sharing transport emissions if that’s the case. may be an option too for shared parking.

Once the vehicle specifications Since transitioning to EVs is likely have been defined, suitable models in many cases to require a stepwise should be identified in line with the approach, it may be possible to start-out business’ fleet replacement strategy. and request an upgrade at a later date.

Load management techniques can be Chargepoints applied to allow the site to always remain When planning for charging infrastructure, within available capacity, regardless of the amount of charging that will need the number of vehicles plugged in.

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Future needs To give room for increased EV uptake as the technology develops, due consideration should be given to the split of active and passive chargepoint provision across company car park spaces.

The London Plan 2021 defines passive provision as: “The network of cables and power supply necessary so that at a future date a socket or equivalent can be added easily to allow vehicle owners to recharge their vehicle.”

“By considering this early on, you can save on the additional cost and inconvenience of groundworks when expansion is needed in the future,” advises McMahon.

“Mandates for active/passive provision are already being included in local council planning guidance for new builds and major workplace renovations to account for this”.

Practical operations Another key consideration in the transition to an electric fleet is the accessibility to the parking bays and chargepoints: lighting and signage, disabled access, and authentication methods.

Procurement While switching to an electric fleet will save money in the long run, there are up-front costs to consider, including the cost of installing chargepoints.

Various ownership, operation and maintenance models are available from suppliers, which can range from full ownership of equipment to leasing options.

The selected model may be impacted by your ability to fund upfront, existing business expertise, and whether billing of usage is needed.

Fortunately, a range of grants are available. The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) covers 75 per cent of the upfront purchase and installation costs up to £350 per socket for chargepoints up to 22 kW. This is available for companies including SMEs to install up to 40 sockets, giving £14,000 maximum funding, and is not restricted to a single site.

Best Practice Guide

Employees should also be trained in efficient driving methods and when is best to charge to optimise vehicle range and minimise unnecessary chargepoint use which could block another vehicle from using it.

The premises’ electrical supply and capacity also impacts the charging infrastructure. In Cenex’s experience, this is the most variable cost and is highly location dependent If charging at home is deemed an appropriate strategy, funding support for this is available separately via OZEV’s Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS).

This is currently only available to those with offstreet parking but is set to include leaseholders, renters and those living in flats from April 2022.

Informed decisions “While there’s a lot to consider ahead of installing chargepoints for your fleet, early planning and speaking to the right experts will ensure the whole process runs smoothly and is cost effective,” concludes McMahon.

“Looking at the bigger picture means managers can make informed decisions that are best for their business operation, employees, and the environment.

“Cenex has worked with many public and private sector organisations to assess the required and available chargepoint provision in line with fleet strategies and advise on suitable technology solutions that will meet operational demands.

“This gives them the confidence to make decisions and invest early to maximise the benefits.

“Electric fleets, both the vehicles and the charging infrastructure, are a long-term business investment that will yield long-term results with the right approach”. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.cenex.co.uk

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Best Practice Guide Written by Holly Brooks, senior category lead, Fleet - CCS

PROCUREMENT

Greening your fleet means investing for the future With COP26 fresh in our minds, the environmental impact of your fleet will be high on your agenda.

But electric vehicles are only part of the picture. Effective procurement, expert fleet guidance, telematics, driver training, tyre choice and charging infrastructure are all part of an efficient, cost effective and safe green fleet strategy. Holly Brooks from CCS shares some guidance When sourcing a sustainable fleet you have a number of initial decisions to make. Do you want to purchase, lease or hire the vehicle? Thatcham Research reports that vehicle technology will progress more in the next five years than it has in the past 50 years. Innovations are happening very quickly and you may want to consider leasing as an alternative to outright purchase.

But, expert help is available. An agnostic, independent fleet manager can offer a ‘whole market’ view – working with you to identify a fleet procurement plan that meets your future needs.

As part of this service, you will be able to discuss vehicle availability. This is an important fact, especially in the current climate of vehicle shortages and longer lead times. You may want to create a shortlist of vehicles so that you have alternatives if vehicle availability does not align with your operational needs.

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But there are other costs associated with an electric fleet. Repairing can take longer and be more expensive. And repairs may require specialist technicians. But, again, with planning and preemptive action, you can find a cost-effective solution.

If you maintain your fleet inBy house you might consider taking using telematics and fleet t management data.

Telematics to plan ime and This will help you Electric vehicles researc h t to identify the most benefit from h o ro you wil common driver cheaper routine l avoid ughly, wasted effort a incidents. You will then maintenance with no nd dela be able to find ways to oil, filters and other t y h si e procu prevent those incidents consumables (such as rement n - saving time and money. cambelts) to replace process Solutions may take the and maintain. Go Ultra form of driver training. Or Low found that, over you may incorporate reversing three years and 60,000 miles, cameras or other new specifications. electric cars cost, on average, You will, certainly, be incurring upfront costs 23 per cent less to maintain.

By taking time to plan and research thoroughly you will avoid wasted effort and delays in the procurement process. This is particularly important when transitioning to the unfamiliar specifications of electric vehicles where financial approval can be more time consuming.

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Tyres It is also vital to select the correct tyres for an electric fleet. Tyres can often account for around 40 per cent of the maintenance budget for electric vehicles. The battery makes an electric vehicle much heavier. This additional weight, along with the instant torque, means that tyres on an electric vehicle will endure more wear and tear.

Again, expert guidance is available from suppliers who can advise on the best tyres for your electric vehicle. Those suppliers will also give guidance on replacement profiling, specific requirements around tyre homologation - all helping you to budget effectively for future costs.

Tyres for an electric vehicle are, certainly, more expensive than traditional tyres but, again, they are a worthwhile investment.

These recommended tyres are more durable and suited to the increased weight of the electric vehicle. And, in the long run, they will be cost effective.

Powering your fleet When moving to an electric fleet, the design of the charging infrastructure will be critical. You will want to make sure that your fleet has enough power within the

Best Practice Guide

but the investment will help you to avoid future costly repairs and time lost when your vehicle is off the road. Again, expert guidance is available. A telematics or a fleet management supplier will help you to build a business case for this additional funding.

As with electric vehicles generally, the charging infrastructure is a fast developing market. This can be challenging, but expert guidance is available. Fleet suppliers will be able to advise on your options. The suppliers can guide you on stand-alone feasibility studies and site surveys and on works to increase capacity required range of travel – with access to the chargers and supply level needed.

As with electric vehicles generally, the charging infrastructure is a fast developing market. This can be challenging but, again, expert guidance is available. Fleet suppliers will be able to advise on your options. The suppliers can guide you on stand-alone feasibility studies and site surveys and on the management of works needed to increase capacity. They can also give guidance on how to work with the distribution network operators who own and operate the power lines and infrastructure that connect to the grid; on the supplierfunded network models that are available to employees and members of the public. And, finally, they can advise on the use of back office software that provides a full picture of your fleet network so that you can make sure that your vehicles always run at peak performance.

Accelerate your move to electric vehicles with CCS Whichever stage of the vehicle lifecycle you’re tackling first in the transition to electric vehicles, we have the commercial solutions and expertise you need to set your strategy right.

For more information on our suite of Total Fleet Solutions, including our frameworks that provide options to help you meet your sustainability targets, visit our website Sign up to Crown Commercial Service’s Fleet newsletter for our latest news and industry insights or go to our Fleet Portal for quick quotations. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.crowncommercial.gov.uk

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The top model for work place EV charging Zaptec’s charging system is unique Norwegian technology that utilises available power to balance the electricity grid, optimise speed of charging and keep infrastructure costs to a minimum.

Contact: 07535213153 Darren@zaptec.com zaptec.com

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Sponsor’s Comment

Looking to electrify your fleet?

Zaptec has been working with fleet operators of all sizes since 2016, providing over 60,000 charging points internationally. This experience makes them the right partner for your EV transition Was Glasgow’s COP26 bing bang for change, or just a lot of hot air? Who knows really, but at least some consensus was achieved in respect of the phase out of ICE vehicles and the uptake of electric vehicles. Governments in “leading markets” have committed to working towards all sales of new cars and vans being zero emission by 2035. Fleet owners in the UK are working quicker than this though with the target of 2030 fresh in the mind of all fleet managers.

For many larger businesses the business of electrifying fleets has begun, with many companies now tackling company cars, and even bringing in electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes that can be extended to non-company car drivers and family members. Vans remain more of a tricky issue due to lower choices of vehicles, pay load considerations, reimbursement of expenses, tax and trade union issues just to mention some of the hurdles that need to be overcome sooner rather than later.

One thing for sure, is that the average fleet manager is not only managing vehicles, but now need to be experts in energy and also IT and payment systems too – not to mention all the related people, and tax issues that come with electrifying your fleet.

So if you are looking to electrify your fleet then a broad perspective is required, based on experience. Zaptec has been working with fleet operators of all sizes since 2016 providing over 60,000 charging points internationally. Since February 2021 Zaptec has been forming a high performing team with expertise in eMobility, energy and fleet management able to provide this experienced broad perspective to fleet operators.

Over the past few years the barriers of range anxiety and the lack of EV infrastructure, in the main, have disappeared. In part these barriers have been overcome partly because of government policies around Net Zero, benefit in kind tax incentives and lower total cost of ownership. Now, though we face a new set of issues to think about as we accelerate towards 2030.

Reimbursement of expenses For fleets charging at work, at home and on the go how expenses are managed is a challenge.

How to separate what is work charging, and what is personal, and how these bills are settled and paid are complicated matters. Fleet operators will need to ensure any hardware they choose has the integrations with the appropriate platforms to enable the correct and compliant treatment of business expenses incurred at home and on the go.

Monetising assets Of course it isn’t all bad news, there are some real opportunities for fleet operators too. If your electric vehicle hardware assets are able to be integrated into third party charge point operator platforms, then there is an opportunity to monetise your assets either by selling power to your employees, customers or even by opening up your private network to the public, at certain times of the day for example. The CPO platform will do all the hardwork but to monetise the assets this platform needs to be able to communicate with the hardware itself.

Secure electricity supply Overcome all of these issues and there is still a potential problem and that is the supply of electricity. Of course you’ll want to be 100 per cent renewable and most energy suppliers will provide this for you (make sure it is REGO backed though), but all this assumes available power capacity on site. Needing more electricity can require external DNO connections and infrastructure upgrades, unless you can source a hardware supplier who can dynamically manage your available electricity supply, speeding up the rate of charge to your vehicles depending on your available capacity on site. This neat feature (Dynamic and Phase Load Management) can potentially save you lots of money by avoiding District Network Operator costs as well as the associated delays to projects.

So beyond the day to day issues of what type of vehicles you should purchase, there are still some issues to think through. Partnering with an eMobility business that has this bredth of experience, as well as the hardware and software integrations solutions, is essential if you want to electrify your fleet.

How can Zaptec help?

Well, we love talking to people, so please do drop us a line (darren@zaptec.com) and we will be happy to use our experience to help you shape your project (even if you end up not working with us). We’ve worked on projects from workplace charging, ultra fast charging at public service stations, home charging and even vehicle to grid.

Beyond, a coffee though we supply the Zaptec Pro, a well designed, reliable 22kW AC charger suitable for most workplace charging projects.

It has five year warranty; dynamic and phase load balancing, helping you avoid expensive grid upgrade costs. It is integrated with many platform providers helping you monetise your assets as well as ensuring your charging points are monitored and well maintained.

Zaptec Pro also has RFID access control, making it easy for you to monitor who is using your charging points, as well as making it simple to start and stop a charge. It is also plug and charge enabled. In addition, we can help your fleet charge at home with our Zaptec Go, which not only can provide you with 22kW AC charging (3 phase supply) but it also compliant with future smart charging legislation and will help you manage your expenses.

There are still some hurdles to overcome, but with the right partner this doesn’t have to be a daunting task. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.zaptec.com/en darren@zaptec.com

Proposed Smart Charging laws For fleets that charge at home, the proposed smart charging legislation is one to consider. In lay terms the UK Government is proposing that all EV charging points should be “smart” with units to be configured to automatically avoid charging at peak times for example, as well as containing Demand Side Management capability. So fleet managers now looking to charge their vehicles at employees homes now need to ensure their hardware is “smart” as well as future proofed to enable drivers to charge when it is cheapest, greenest and can integrate with domestic solar PV systems for example.

Issue 136 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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Building an efficient fleet With more than 4,850 members, the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) is well-established as the go-to accreditation scheme for fleet best practice. October saw the latest FORS Standard unveiled – Version 6.0. Here are the details The revised FORS Standard, due for implementation from 01 July 2022, is the sixth iteration of the document, produced to outline how FORS members must meet the accreditation criteria at each stage of the progressive scheme.

The document is updated every two years to ensure the requirements of the FORS Standard remain relevant to the road transport operators it serves, now totalling some 4,850 members nationwide and internationally.

Initially due for publication in 2020, The FORS Standard Version 6.0 was postponed last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, making it three years since the last full version was published to members.

road safety and reducing the environmental impact of their operations.”

The FORS Standard Review Working Group consulted key industry stakeholders to identify and agree proposed changes to The Standard, before the document was approved by the FORS Governance and Standards Advisory Group (GSAG) in July 2021.

No changes have been made to the FORS mandatory training for both drivers and managers, and many of the amendments have been designed to clarify existing requirements to members. For example the addition of a new Annex listing the documents required at the FORS Bronze Audit ­– the first level of the progressive scheme.

Best Practice Guide

FLEET EFFICIENCY

And the effects of the pandemic are Ensuring fleet efficiency reflected in this latest version, which contains More and more operators are choosing FORS only modest changes to the scheme. Helen to ensure their fleet is as efficient as possible.

Bonner, director of FORS governance and FORS is especially important for operators standards, says: “Whilst Version 6.0 has been keen to win work providing transport to in development since 2019, the events of 2020 major urban construction projects, where and 2021 have heavily influenced its direction. specifiers are increasingly using FORS “Accordingly, Version 6.0 has been designed to raise standards, meet CO2 emissions to be an incremental adjustment from targets and ensure a green supply chain. the current FORS Standard. It will ensure

One such specifier is Sir Robert that FORS accreditation continues to McAlpine (SRM), one of the UK’s enable members to conduct their leading building and civil business whilst demonstrating More engineering companies. their professionalism, and mo Here, the company looks commitments and operato re at how working E credentials in improving

choosin rs are Operat g the Fleet or Scheme Recognition to their fle ensure et efficien is as ta possible s

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The public sector has an important role to play in reaching the country’s zero-emissions targets – and so does smart procurement

It is now widely acknowledged that the pace of decarbonisation in road transport must dramatically increase within this decade. We’re already working toward phasing out traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2030 and recently, it was announced at COP26 that all new Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) must be zero-emission by 2040.

This presents a unique challenge to the public sector. Change needs to be wideranging, it needs to happen quickly, and it needs to be cost-effective. No small order.

There are a wide range of factors to consider when contemplating the procurement of non-ICE vehicles: cost, charge time and infrastructure, weight and payload must all be taken into account. Developing a zero-emissions fleet isn’t a straightforward process, and it isn’t likely to become

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simpler anytime soon as new technologies enter the market and add to the mix.

Procurement is becoming increasingly specialised to overcome climate challenges and it’s important that everyone involved in the process communicates fully and transparently to ensure successful outcomes are achieved.

Local governments and electric vehicle suppliers each have unique perspectives when it comes to addressing climate challenges and procurement, and they each bring unique insights and experience to the table. Councils can share expertise on legislation and suppliers can share insights into the latest technology.

Procurement specialists can help bring these insights together.

By ensuring that environmental guidelines are adhered to and by asking the right

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questions, procurement specialists can help shape services and suggest targeted, effective solutions for the public sector.

When such large-scale changes need to be made, flexibility is an important factor. Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS) remain open to suppliers throughout their duration, unlike traditional frameworks and that means that as more suppliers, technology and innovations come to market, they can quickly be added to a DPS and made available to the public sector.

A DPS for electric vehicles allows for the latest, most efficient vehicles to be made available as soon as possible for local governments to purchase on a large scale, ensuring that they can keep up with the wider national transition away from ICE, and meet their own climate targets.

The expertise of procurement specialists, and the flexibility that DPSs provide, will enable this, providing an effective, vetted route for the public sector to secure the latest technology. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.ypo.co.uk

Sir Robert McAlpine and FORS Having worked on some of the UK’s most iconic buildings and projects, the SRM mandate is clear, to ensure it leaves a lasting, positive legacy for local communities, striving for efficiency and minimising environmental impacts during the lifecycle of a project.

The company, which marked its 150th anniversary in 2019, remains a family-owned business and recognises the pivotal role safe and efficient road transport supply chain plays in meeting its goals. As such, it began stipulating FORS accreditation as a requirement for all vehicles entering its sites back in 2012 and its own fleet is accredited at FORS Gold – the highest level of the voluntary accreditation scheme.

Paul Smith, logistics manager at SRM is charged with managing the company’s supply chain, and says: “Writing FORS into our contracts as a requirement for all vehicles was a step change in how we assure standards across our road transport supply chain. It is our duty to ensure our sites are as safe and efficient as possible, for those who live and work in the immediate area and for our clients and the road transport supply chain has a big role to play in that.”

The company’s delivery management system requires all contractors to register vehicles before they come on to any site and is set up to prevent the booking being made, if no valid FORS accreditation can be shown. The scale of this operation can be huge. For example, at SRM’s 100 Liverpool Street project in London,

40 road transport contractors were used throughout the project, each employing subcontractors, totalling over 21,000 bookings created on the system over a four-year period.

These simple processes, which require all vehicles entering SRM sites to be accredited to FORS Silver, are paying off. Paul Smith adds: “The quality of vehicles which come onsite, and the safety equipment they have, is now far better than before FORS. The difference in driver quality is also very noticeable. Drivers no longer think safety and efficiency ‘don’t matter’ and understand why measures are in place to protect vulnerable road users, and how they can help.’’

The consolidation centre model is becoming more commonly used by SRM to help accurately manage site deliveries, reduce traffic flow, and lower emissions. This model sees contractors advance deliver goods to a specified hub outside the city or town in which the build is situated, with materials only arriving on site when they are needed.

This reduces the need to move materials around a site, and the cost implication of potential damage to materials left onsite during the build, while also ensuring vehicles containing combined loads of materials are arriving fully loaded, to lower traffic levels.

Paul Smith says: “We have quite a complex supply chain, with many layers of subcontractors so it’s important for us to ensure our compliance messaging feeds through from the original contract-holder, and consolidation centres really help. The company which managed the consolidation centre we used on our Bloomberg site in London for example, was FORS Gold accredited, so we knew all

vehicles which came onto site automatically complied to the highest standard.

“Thanks to this model we reduced the number of vehicles coming on to the Bloomberg site by 66 per cent, from a calculated 9,099 deliveries which would have taken place using ‘traditional’ delivery methods to just 3,094 actual deliveries made via the consolidation centre. This is a huge reduction, not only in traffic but in CO2 emissions which were reduced by 53,782kg during this project.”

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 with FORS has helped drive quality and efficiency across its supply chain.

Corporate approach David Bucksley, head of health, safety and wellbeing at SRM says: “We think FORS is really important. For us, it is not a minimum standard requirement – it is a must. FORS links to everything we stand for as a business and we are keen to attract a supply chain which is aligned to these values by working to support them in their accreditation.”

The SRM fleet itself is FORS accredited, and has been since June 2013, moving up through the FORS progressive model to become FORS Silver accredited, and then onwards to FORS Gold, in 2020. The vehicles which work across the UK delivering SRM materials and equipment are based at its site in Kettering and managed by a qualified FORS Practitioner.

David Bucksley adds: “The road transport supply chain has a huge contribution to each build, and we need to know each truck is of a high standard - FORS helps us achieve that.” L FURTHER INFORMATION www.fors-online.org.uk

Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme The Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) is a voluntary accreditation scheme for fleet operators. Its purpose is to raise the level of quality within fleet operations, and to demonstrate which operators are achieving the standard. Contained within this document are the requirements for achieving recognition in order to be awarded FORS accreditation to Bronze, Silver or Gold levels.

FORS encourages operators to take a closer look at their operation and identify areas of strength to be exploited and areas for improvement to be addressed.

A successful Bronze audit provides an operator with reassurance that their operation is being run safely, efficiently and in an environmentally sound manner.

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Best Practice Guide

INTERVIEW

“We look at every fleet decision through an EV-first lens” Steve Winter, head of fleet at Centrica – the parent company of British Gas, chats to GreenFleet about the company’s electric vehicle journey and what lessons have been learnt Tell us about your existing electric vehicle fleet At Centrica we operate the third largest private fleet in the UK, with over 12,000 vehicles on the road. This includes around 9,000 engineer vans used to support our business and customers across the UK, 1,500 company cars and a 2,000-strong grey fleet.

We have committed to fully electrifying the fleet by 2025. We have more electric British Gas vans on the road than any other UK organisation, with nearly 700 Vauxhall Vivaro-es being driven by engineers and a total of 3,000 set to be delivered by the end of 2022.

We’ve recently launched our fully-electric salary sacrifice scheme, which is open to all employees. We’ve had more than 100 orders from across the business which is extremely encouraging. As part of the scheme, employees also have the option to have a charge point installed at their home.

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The company has an aim to make our workforce along the journey with us all of its vehicles electric by 2025 and educating them on the benefits that – how is this looking? Are there come with running an electric vehicle. any barriers to overcome first?

However, it hasn’t been without its We’re on track to hit our 2025 challenges, especially because target, which is largely down there isn’t the availability of to being an early adopter electric vehicles currently The of electric vehicles. to fit every area of total co We’ve been on our EV the business. Where of own st fleet journey since possible, we look at 2014 when we had every fleet decision model ership h 100 vehicles delivered through an EV-first a s b c e e en ntral to for use across various lens. For those areas Gas ele the British engineer roles. Since where a diesel vehicle ctric v then, we’ve been is currently preferred, strateg ehicle able to learn and we’re making sure the y adapt our approach lease length is no more to phasing out older, than three years so that more polluting vehicles for the vehicles can be renewed cleaner alternatives. A large for an electric alternative part of this success has been bringing before our 2025 deadline.

DRIVING THE SWITCH TO CLEANER FLEETS | www.greenfleet.net

How were the electric vehicles initially received by the drivers, and have perceptions changed?

Offering our drivers end-to-end support for their EV experience has been crucial to encourage uptake. When our first 100 EVs were delivered in 2014, we rented a test track from Nissan and allowed our senior

My biggest piece of advice would be to understand your fleet’s total cost of ownership inside out and ensure it includes all associated expenses, such as energy prices and plug-in grants leaders to experience driving an electric car and answer any technical questions they had. Since then, driver onboarding has been central to our adoption plans, in order for us to get the best use out of the vehicles.

We have developed an online driver training module that is delivered to drivers prior to receiving their new EV, which is further supported by a range of videos showing them how to get the best from the vehicles and the way to store tools and equipment. Additionally, there is a driver helpdesk should drivers have any concerns prior to receiving their vehicle or when in use.

British Gas has an interesting apprenticeship scheme to train people in EV charging – how important is this?

Upskilling people around the country is crucial to the UK’s green industrial revolution.

Our commitment to hire and train 3,500 apprentices who will go on to install the electric vehicle charge-points we need across the country is an important step if we are to achieve our sustainability targets.

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Where are the vehicles charged?

We know that around 40 per cent of our workforce will have the technology installed to charge their electric vehicles at home.

The other 60 per cent is more difficult.

I’m an advocate of the need for large organisations like ours to work together to develop a fleet charging network. By that I mean a network available to commercial drivers whereby they can book a regular, reliable timed appointment to charge. And overnight, there will be a large number of workplace chargers, sitting empty, these fleet could get a return on their investment if they opened up their car parks at different times.

How that charging is reimbursed is a further challenge. We have developed a virtual fuel card which features bespoke payroll integration software, allowing our employees to be reimbursed for the charging costs.

When we started our EV journey, we asked for volunteers to have an EV charge point installed at their home. We had well over 1,000 people come forward. Giving our employees, especially our engineers, the ability to charge at home – either during the night or at weekends – allows us to keep our fleet moving and attend to the needs of our customers.

What’s more, it’s great to see the number of young people that are embarking on their apprenticeship journey. As new technology like electric vehicles becomes more mainstream, we need to encourage the next generation of our workforce to learn and adopt these types of technology.

What advice would you give to other companies that are looking to switch to electric vehicles?

The total cost of ownership model has been central to the British Gas electric vehicle strategy. My biggest piece of advice would be to understand your fleet’s total cost of ownership inside out and ensure it includes all associated expenses, such as energy prices and plug-in grants. Otherwise, any decision to increase the size of your EV fleet could end up costing you more money than you originally planned. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.centrica.com

Steve Winter, head of fleet at Centrica / British Gas

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GET USED TO HIGHER SUSTAINABILITY

TAKE A NEW STEP ON THE PATH TO DECARBONISATION. WELCOME TO YOUR NEW S-WAY OF LIFE. CALL 0800 915 0040 TO DISCOVER MORE Every path that you and your business take leads to the same destination: the future. Let’s get ready for it. IVECO S-WAY CNG and LNG versions introduce new smart auxiliaries, such as the clutch compressor and variable-flow steering pump. These features, in combination with the next-generation rear axle, the auto a/c system, “eco mode” function and the high efficiency A-pillar cover, deliver a further reduction in CO2 emissions, making the S-WAY Natural Gas the best sustainability performer.

DRIVE THE NEW WAY.

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Advertisement Feature

Get your fleet EV ready with Centrica Business Solutions Supporting your business make the transition to an EV fleet by future-proofing your EV strategy

With the UK government setting 2030 for an end of new internal combustion vehicles (ICE) sales, businesses and fleet operators have fewer than 10 years to go electric.

Here’s how we can help you make the transition to an EV fleet: Deploying an integrated, driver-friendly system for employees to charge at home, at work or with public networks. as well as ensuring accurate reimbursement of driver energy costs with our in-house EV charging platform and app.

Providing access to flexible financing to facilitate a long-term electric vehicle infrastructure strategy and minimise upfront costs.

Installing on-site renewable solutions to overcome site constraints, ensure charging flexibility and generate revenue.

Our solution for fleets helps organisations save time and be more efficient by addressing the operational implications relating to evolving national infrastructure, range restrictions along preferred routes and accurate reimbursement of driver energy costs.

development of our EV Enablement solution for other organisations who are making the transition to cleaner transport.

Lessons learnt: by Steve Winter Steve Winter, Centrica’s Head of Fleet (UK) shares his thoughts on how Centrica is making the business transition to sustainable transport and the lessons learnt so far: “We’ve been using electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids for more than eight years and have nearly 1,000 of them on the road now. Collectively they’ve clocked up over 3 million miles! In the UK, we plan to go fully electric by 2025. And by the end of 2022, we aim to add another 2,000 EVs to our fleet. To maximise flexibility during this transition period, we’ve moved to 3-year leases (from 6 years) on all diesel vans.

Transport is responsible for 27 per cent of the EU’s total CO2 emissions and commercial vehicles are responsible for 20 per cent of all vehicle related greenhouse-gas emissions, despite accounting for only five per cent

of road traffic. With the scale of this emissions problem, our biggest motivation is environmental. As a sustainable energy organisation, it’s important for us to be ahead of the curve and to demonstrate practical leadership in tackling both air pollution and carbon emissions from ICE vehicles.

Moving to green transport is a key part of our sustainability strategy and essential to achieving our carbon reduction targets.

With the size of our fleet (our British Gas company has the third largest commercial fleet in the UK), we can make a huge impact on decarbonising emissions from travel.

There are also regulatory and commercial drivers behind our decision making. For example, the UK government will ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030. And there are a number of tax benefits, incentives and grants available for electric company vehicles. For example, avoiding charges when driving through low and ultra-low emission zones, which are a growing feature of city centres.”

British Gas / Centrica have been nominated for Fleet Manager of the Year & Private Sector Fleet of the Year at the GreenFleet Awards 2021.

Visit our website below and click ‘energy solutions’ to find out more about how we can help your business. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.centricabusinesssolutions.com

We are well placed to help you make the transition to EV: We have over 10 years’ experience working in the energy industry, supporting the uptake of electric vehicles.

We are a highly experienced fleet team and have been working on transitioning Centrica’s own vehicles for over eight years.

We are a single supplier and contact point including energy strategy, solutions, charging infrastructure and software.

We also offer flexible financing options for infrastructure and access to investors with specific expertise in areas important to goals.

As one of the first businesses to adopt electric vehicles (EV) at scale across its global fleet, Centrica have first-hand knowledge of implementing a sustainable transport strategy. This expertise informs the continued

Issue 136 | GREENFLEET MAGAZINE

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Fleet charging solutions eruta F nem sitr vdA

Providing reliable and future-proofed electric vehicle charging solutions to fleets across the UK

Awarded Charging and Refuelling Infrastructure Provider of the Year, 2019 and 2020.

Sponsor of the private sector car fleet of the year (small to medium) 2021.

What a whirlwind of a year 2021 has been for the EV industry. Despite some obvious challenges facing businesses this year, we’re seeing a real change in the pace of fleet electrification. Driven by Government commitments as we head towards 2030, a growing focus on environmental sustainability as well as vast improvements in vehicle types and range, we are witnessing a real tipping point. It has also been a great year for commercial electric vehicles, with more automotive companies producing practical vehicles broadening the choice for fleet operators. And this choice is only going to grow in the coming twelve months.

our customers are new to electrification and we have helped them as they take their first steps to understanding what charging type, power and quantity they need. Others have been operating electric vehicles for many years and we see them returning to us time and time again as their fleets expand. Whatever the size or needs of a fleet, our role, and that of the industry, is to ensure that the transition to EVs is a seamless one.

Good luck to everyone in the awards and here’s to an electrifying year ahead.

2022 is going to be a busy year for the sector and it’s important that we take this opportunity to celebrate our collective achievements. This is why industry events such as the GreenFleet awards are so important. It means a lot to us to be shortlisted once again for the Charging and Refuelling Infrastructure Provider of the Year award and we’re also proud to be a sponsor of the private sector car fleet of the year category. Everyone shortlisted has contributed to the success of the industry, supporting the acceleration of EV uptake and that is worthy of recognition.

At Elmtronics, we continue to work with some of the UK’s leading fleets providing practical advice and support to their charging needs. Not every fleet is ready to take that step and there’s certainly no one-size fits all solution. Some of

Providing solutions to big-name brands including: