A new project that will enable fleet operators to share private depot charge points is now up and running with the help of Department for Transport (DfT) funding.

Some 62% of fleets would consider sharing charging EV infrastructure

Run by electric fleet management and charging payment firm Paua in collaboration with Cenex, Oxfordshire County Council and Suffolk County Council and a host of leading fleets, industry bodies and software providers, the Paua PINS (Private Infrastructure Network Solution) project seeks to make depot sharing a reality on a commercial scale for business fleets.

Under the project, the two county councils will provide depot locations to share with others and/or, vehicles to charge at shared sites.

Cenex will engage with fleets and other stakeholders to explore the barriers to, and opportunities presented by, this approach.

Shared electric vehicle charging is seen as a key way to solve the issue of limited infrastructure – which is hampering many fleets from going electric.

The Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) has been working for months to help support shared charging. Its research indicates almost two-thirds (62%) of fleets would consider co-operative agreements on charging, which would not only support a wider shift to electrification for operators but would also enable fleets to earn more revenue from their depot EV chargers.

The Paua PINS project is targeting a key outcome in terms of the ability to generate increased revenue from the chargers that businesses have already installed.

Paua will enable drivers to find, charge and pay at the shared depot locations. Together with the existing aggregated Paua public charging network, the firm says the new project will give businesses more charging options than anything else on the market today.

By offering a single aggregated way to access chargers and centralise the payments, the project will cut challenges for fleets making the transition to electric and provides a valuable alternative option to operators, including blue lights, larger commercial vehicles, electric trucks, and those without depot arrangements.

Niall Riddell, CEO and co-founder of Paua, said: “Paua seeks to innovate to enable businesses to simplify their transition to electric. Having led the aggregation of UK public charging, developed technology to reimburse home charging, we now see this sharing of depots as the next natural step to meeting the needs of fleet professionals.”

The Paua PINS project is part of the Transport Decarbonisation Demonstrators programme, funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) and delivered by Innovate UK.

Mike Biddle, executive director net zero at Innovate UK, said: “By looking at decarbonisation through a place-based lens, it is hoped that these projects will bring wider benefits above and beyond transport decarbonisation such as the improved health of residents through better access to active travel modes, a greater sense of community created by schemes or a decrease in congestion levels due to fewer private vehicles on the road. We’re looking forward to the project completion next year and seeing the impact.”

The project is also being aided by expert advisors to support both depot access and fleet requirements. This includes the AFP, the Police 7F Commercial Services Programme, East Lothian Council, Nottingham City Council, First Bus, DAF Trucks, SSE Networks, the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA), National Grid, DPD, Royal Mail and depot software specialists EO Charging, Spirii, Hangar 19 and Fuuse.

Businesses with an interest in this solution are invited to email Paua, either to share and monetise their own infrastructure or to access the infrastructure of others involved in the project.

Paua will also run a series of public webinars to discuss the project over the next eight months and share early findings. Details will be announced at Paua.com.