A new committee formed to look at the practicalities of sharing charging infrastructure between fleets operating electric vans has been launched by the Association of Fleet Professionals.
To be led by AFP chair Paul Hollick, it will investigate ways in which businesses can make their own chargers available to other organisations on a reciprocal basis.
It follows research undertaken by the AFP in October that showed almost six out of 10 van fleets (58%) would consider sharing their depot or public charging infrastructure with others to make electrification more practical.
Paul said: “Charging has emerged a key issue for those operating electric vans, whether that means finding power as part of a planned route that exceeds the vehicle’s range, overnight to ensure a van is ready for the following day, or in a part of the country where charging facilities are scarce.
“Many fleet operators can see the potential for sharing their infrastructure on this basis and what we are aiming to do with the new committee is work out the practicalities of such arrangements and how the AFP can work as a facilitator.”
Questions that needed to be answered included mapping the companies that would be interested in taking part, gaining physical access to chargers, booking time when they would be needed, and how charging would be paid for.
