Network provider Openreach has partnered with payment solutions platform Allstar to help build a broader mix of electric vehicle (EV) charing options for its engineers
Openreach operates more than 7,000 EVs across a fleet of more than 22,000 vehicles, but one in three of the company’s engineers are unable to have an EV charger installed at home.
As part of the new partnership, Allstar Homecharge will pay work-related home charging costs directly to drivers’ energy suppliers, so engineers don’t pay upfront or claim expenses.
Elsewhere, Allstar and Openreach have focused public charging through fewer strategic charge point operators, while Allstar Co-Pilot helps engineers find approved charging locations.
The partnership is also developing access to commercial and shared depot charging for engineers who need additional options during the working day. Through partners including First Charge and Voltempo, the aim is to give engineers access to infrastructure better suited to commercial vehicles, including larger bays, high-speed charging and bookable shared depot charging that they can pay for using existing EV charge cards, including Allstar Chargepass.
Openreach engineers rely on vans to keep UK connected
Tom Rowlands, Managing Director, Global EV Solutions at Corpay, including Allstar in the UK, says, “Electrifying a fleet of this scale isn’t simply about putting more electric vehicles on the road. Drivers need charging that works around their jobs and for a nationwide engineering workforce there can’t be an assumption that everyone can simply plug in at home.
“That’s why our work with Openreach looks across the charging mix. Home charging remains important where it’s possible, but engineers also need reliable public charging and increasingly other options designed around working commercial vehicles. The strength of the partnership is that we can keep developing that mix as the fleet grows and the needs of its engineers evolve.”
Judy O’Keefe, Director of Fleet at Openreach, adds, “Our engineers rely on their vans every day to keep people and businesses connected. With more than 7,000 electric vans already on the road, and plans to move most of our fleet to zero emissions by 2031, we need charging to be simple and safe for our engineers.
“There’s no single charging solution that works for everyone. That’s why we’ve invested in a flexible mix of home, public and depot charging, working with different partners to give our engineers the options they need. Allstar is helping us simplify how we manage and pay for it all.”
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