OVO is ramping up its electric vehicle (EV) activity with the announcement it is to electrify its own fleet by 2030.
The supplier – the second largest in the UK – has signed up to The Climate Group’s EV100 scheme, joining both Centrica and SSE. The latter of which expanded its electric vehicle fleet in February, announcing it was trialing a number of different charging solutions.
To support this goal of electrification by 2030, OVO is also to install charging infrastructure at its work locations for its employees. The commitment follows OVO’s previously unveiled Plan Zero, aimed at decarbonising its own operations alongside halving the carbon footprint of its customers by 2030.
As part of Plan Zero, OVO has plans to optimise five million UK homes with flexible, low carbon technologies such as smart meters and smart EV chargers.
OVO is also to “champion energy productivity” and EVs through its products and services, the supplier said. This includes its Carbon Tracker, which will help customers cut their home energy waste and carbon emissions, as well as its EV Everywhere energy tariff for EV drivers.
Kate Weinberg, director of sustainability at OVO said that by signing up to EV100, OVO is “crystallising” its commitments to electrifying its fleet.
The supplier was chosen to provide electricity for BP Chargemaster‘s POLAR network in 2017, and in December 2019 announced a partnership with Mitsubishi for a range of “innovative green solutions”.
Helen Clarkson, CEO of The Climate Group, said: “With demand for clean transport on the up, energy companies are looking to electric vehicles and charging infrastructure as the next frontier of investment in the clean and flexible energy system.
“As with smart energy measures, there are huge business opportunities for those who get ahead first and every major company should follow their lead.”
The Climate Group this week announced the UK Electric Fleets Alliance, a leadership coalition with the purpose of advocating for the acceleration of the UK EV transition ahead of COP26.
