A new fleet electrification service claiming to be the first automated service to supply, install and manage the entire electric vehicle (EV) charger process has launched.
Fleet Fix was designed by landscape construction and maintenance contractor Ground Control, which according to the company has been delivering around 200 tailored EV charging installations a month.
The new platform allows fleet and business managers to remotely monitor and track every part of the supply and installation process, with the dashboard offering services such as asset management, charging analytics and reporting of the vehicle fleet.
For home charging, Fleet Fix offers a driver specific link to gather the information needed to install a charger, while for workplace and depot the service offers a property survey and the installation of a tailored charging infrastructure solution.
Fleet Fix will also notify the local distribution network operator (DNO), process Office for Zero Emission Vehicles grants where applicable and notify the completion and provide a company/business RFID Electric Fuel Card for use at over 4,000 public chargers. Roaming partners include Instavolt, Osprey, GeniePoint, Chargepoint Scotland and Source London.
Additionally, the platform offers automatic employee reimbursement for home charging if required. Expenses can also be managed through reports for payroll teams.
A variety of services targeted at fleets have been launched in the UK, including Centrica’s Fleet Charging Management System, which acts as a virtual fuel card and features payroll integration, meaning the driver is automatically reimbursed while fleet managers receive monthly statements showing all charging transactions.
It follows Octopus’ Electric Juice network, which offers drivers a single way to pay for both home charging and public charging, with costs appearing on a single bill.
These services are becoming more prevalent as more businesses make the switch to EVs, with research commissioned by Centrica Business Solutions finding that nearly half of businesses are planning to install EV charging points on their premises over the next year. Companies are planning to invest £15.8 billion in EVs and on-site charging points over the twelve months to March 2022.
“As we emerge from lockdown, it’s more important than ever that transition to buying or leasing EVs doesn’t disrupt business operations,” said Andy Gray, EV charging lead at Ground Control. “Key to this will be the efficient installation of charging infrastructure – both at the workplace and at home – along with the ability to support a variety of charging needs in the field.”
