Energy giant Centrica is bidding to super-charge its electric vehicle ambitions with the creation of a new e-mobility team.
Centrica Mobility Ventures has been established to develop and progress new solutions and partnerships in the EV market and will work alongside Centrica’s international consumer and business units to develop consumer-facing offerings.
These are intended to combine energy supply with charging infrastructure services, including other value-add services such as energy optimisation and software applications.
The move comes several months after Centrica’s innovations unit made a multi-million-pound investment in Driivz, an Israeli EV charging software start-up which offers solutions for charging network operators, car manufacturers and utilities.
Centrica pointed to new internal research which concluded that the cost “tipping point” for electric vehicles, whereby they’re cheaper to own than a petrol or diesel car over ten years, will occur by 2025, and expectations that as much as £700 billion of investment will be made in fleets, batteries, charging infrastructure and technology worldwide by 2030.
Charles Cameron, director of technology and engineering at Centrica and chairman at Centrica Innovations, said that while the direction of travel for EVs is clear, many in the industry are “struggling to find their way” through the roll out.
“With a global network of over 15,000 engineers and technicians, and expertise in designing and managing energy solutions offered through Centrica Business Solutions, I believe we are uniquely positioned to develop a simple, holistic solution for customers that will address many of the challenges around EV adoption,” he said.
Centrica Mobility Ventures is to firstly work alongside car manufacturers to boost EV readiness within their dealership networks by providing a “one stop shop for end-to-end charging delivery”, comprising charging infrastructure, energy management, financing and optimisation.
