Communications giant Openreach is using EV payments specialist Mina to support the switch of its 30,000 vehicles to electric in one of the biggest EV fleet transformation projects in the UK.

Openreach can now pay for any employee charging an electric van for work at home using EV payment specialist Mina’s bespoke technology

The UK’s national digital network business has committed to switch its 30,000-vehicle fleet to electric by 2030. Alongside their swap to an electric van, each engineer working for the firm is signed up to Mina’s EV payment and charging platform so all their home charging is paid for by Openreach accurately and simply.

Andrew Kirkby, senior manager, sustainability at Openreach, said: “Today our vans are mostly diesel but we’re determined to switch to electric or zero emissions by 2030.

“We’ve already got over 1,500 EVs and it’s exciting to be working with Mina to make charging payments simpler and more accurate for our engineers and help us meet our target.

Because the majority of engineers take their vehicles home, Openreach required a payment process that will accurately pay for every single charging cost based on the many different home electricity tariffs of thousands of employees. The solution must also be able to audit and report on those charging events for its own financial and sustainability processes.

Ashley Tate, Mina CEO, explained: “Maximising home charging is key to ensuring a successful transition with lowest possible operating costs for any fleet, and having the opportunity to work with Openreach, the largest return-to-home fleet in the UK, is something we’re very proud of.

“At Mina, we’ve been able to not only help engineers move to electric far more easily but then, once they are up and running, pay for their charging simply and also provide data that helps the fleet run far more efficiently and effectively.”

By reimbursing drivers’ home energy suppliers directly, Mina ensures the driver never has to claim expenses or budget for higher electricity bills. And that means no driver is ever out of pocket.

But using Mina also enables Openreach to look at driving habits and the operational efficiency of its electric vans.

“Because we can see every charge through the online Mina Fleet Portal, and the speed, efficiency and cost of it, what we’re able to do is encourage our engineers to use the public network less and cheaper home charging more,” said Kirkby.

As more Openreach engineers go electric, the firm is also undertaking a survey of all its engineers to understand who can charge at home to support the ongoing transition to EVs.

“The fact that fleets the size of Openreach are fully committed to EV transition shows that it can be done successfully, and at Mina we’re excited to be able to help facilitate the change by making one of the most complex elements – home and public charging – simple and accurate for both employees and employers,” Ashley Tate summed up.