Northern Powergrid has launched a number of initiatives that will help it get ‘hands on’ with electric vehicles (EVs) and charging infrastructure.
Three initiatives will be rolled-out over the remainder of the year, to give Northern Powergrid’s 2,500 employees the chance to use EV technology across a number of its 28 sites.
The Distribution Network Operator (DNO) will install EV charging points at 11 of its sites, with the aim being to encourage employees to move to EVs as soon as possible, and ahead of the UK’s ban on new petrol and diesel car sales in 2040.
The electricity distribution business – which covers the North East, Yorkshire, and northern Lincolnshire – will follow the first phase in the shoft to EVs by installing on-site vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charge points.
This will both add to the number of units available for EV drivers, and also be part of a V2G trial in fleet operations. The first of 16 V2G chargers will go in this month.
Northern Powergrid will also begin a process to electrify its fleet of vehicles, starting with pool cars, and is carrying out a survey of EV ownership in the business to make sure the growing number of EV drivers has the right infrastructure available.
Jim Cardwell, Head of Policy Development at Northern Powergrid, said: “We have to get hands on and lead by example. We are starting small to begin with, bringing on five Nissan Leaf EVs that will be available for our people to use.
“Although colleagues frequently have to take our vehicles to places where there is no electricity, there is huge internal appetite to decarbonise as much of our fleet as possible, as soon as is practical.”
