Over three days last week, a fleet of 48 EVs headed by Danfoss’ 17 metre E-lorry, lightly customised, rounded off an 800 mile e-excursion from southern Denmark to Le Mans, just in time to witness France’s eponymous 24-hour endurance race.

Composed entirely of electric vehicles, and starting from the engineering group’s HQ in Nordborg, the e-exodus was organised on a non-profit basis by GodEnergi, suppliers of electric infrastructure to operators of heavy transport.

Dispelling range anxiety, and shattering EV myths slowing the electrification of Europe’s heaviest shifters of road freight, were motivators for the e-expedition.

Truckers urged to Lego of their prejudices

“48% of trucks in Denmark drive less than 300 kilometers (190 miles) per day.  And 62% of all HGV journeys across the EU are under 400km/250 miles”, Torben Christensen, Danfoss’ head of sustainability explained.

“We see neither technological nor practical barriers to converting (road freight) to fully electric trucks”, he continued, citing the International Energy Agency’s figure that trucks & heavy transport emitted 1.776 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2020. Yet 45% of all goods transported by road in Europe travel less than 300km.

From Nordborg, the amp-happy motorists crossed into Germany, reaching the Netherlands for an overnight stop.

“For a large number of journeys, there’s no reason for range anxiety”, said Christensen. “And electrification of heavy transport will make a significant contribution to the green transition.”

All aspects of the e-effusion functioned on amps and coulombs. Truckers relied on power from the EVs for their overnight stays, including barbecuing meat on electric grills.

Lurking amid the Lurpak, one or two drivers breakfasted the next morning on Danissssshhh fried “bacon og æg”. Translation available here.

The E-expedition pushed south into Belgium and then to Le Mans, south-west of Paris.

“We are 115 participants who love motorsport and cars”, said Jan Darville, GodEnergi’s CEO, speaking with e-ebullience.

“At the same time we want to prove it is possible to cover long distances in electric vehicles. The technology and the opportunities are there. We are pleased to be joined by Danfoss and their electric truck since their company is famous for their electrification solutions”.

Normally Danfoss’ E-truck serves internal ferrying only, carrying loads between the engineering firm’s factories and warehouses.

Chief among enhancements from Danfoss’ portfolio added to the 20-tonne truck included the firm’s ED3 onboard charger and power supply, as fitted to Volvo’s electric trucks.  The device speeds overnight charging from standard AC mains, a key enabler in electrifying heavy road transport. The ED3’s 43 kW rating allows recharging within 9 hours from conventional C sockets. Capital costs to truck stop operators can thus be minimised.

The ED3 also acts drives power-consuming auxiliary functions such as refrigeration in trailers and compactors on refuse trucks.

“For best productivity, charging infrastructure should be established at locations such as freight terminals, so that loading time is equal to charging time”, Christensen went on.

Aarhus, in the middle of our street

As Jerry Garcia og Bob Weir sang – though not in Danish – in “de Taknemmelig Død’’’s anthemic song ‘Trucking’;

“Sikke en lang, mærkelig tur det har været!” / “What a long, strange trip it’s been”.

In other news in the European Championships 2024, Denmark kick off against England in their top-of-Group-C clash in Frankfurt on Thursday 20 June. Kick-off is 17:00 hrs UK time.

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Operated by char.gy, the 60,000th charging device was installed last month on Natal Road, a residential street in Streatham, south London.

That milestone follows on the heels of the 50,000 mark, surpassed in October 2023. That installation at a service station in Weston-super-Mare was part of the MFG EV Power network.

Given current rates of installation, the company is predicting Britain will reach 100,000 public devices as early as August 2025.

Zapmap’s new stats haul reveals that installations in 2024’s first four months are up by over 36% on a run-rate basis, compared 2023’s full year average.  Early 2024 has seen more than 1,900 devices installed every month, up from the 2023 full year average of 1,400.

Two types of public chargers lead the – well, charge – in away-from-home imbibing of automotive amps, the figures reveal.  New ultra-rapid devices – designed for en-route charging – are up 135% year-on-year, ZapMap finds.   There are now 4,988 of these devices across the country.

Low-powered charging on residential streets, usually from converted lamp-posts, are up more than 54% over the same period.  Char.gy operates in this sector. It recently announced the installation of its 3,000th public charging point, with new devices going live at a rate of around 400 per month.

“This is really just the crest of the wave”, Zapmap co-founder Melanie Shufflebotha observed. “Hitting 60,000 public charging devices is an extremely significant milestone for electric car drivers across the country.

“There’s a real momentum behind the increased rate of charge point installations up and down the country.

“Without a doubt, it is great news for electric car drivers that not only the sheer number but also the variety of charging options are improving every month.”

Her colleague Jade Edwards, Zapmap’s head of insights, said the latest figures show growth across the spectrum, from the lowest-powered points to the speediest ultra-rapids on the motorway.

She commented: “With more than 135% growth in the number of the highest-powered chargers over the last year, and 343 high-powered charging hubs across the country at the end of April, the UK is well on the way to hitting 100,000 public charging devices in summer 2025.”

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PoGo will fund every installation.  Work is due to begin before April and is expected to take eighteen months.

LCP, part of M Core, manages around £2.7 billion of UK shops, commercial and residential sites. The investors’ boss James Buchanan said “Over the past couple of years we’ve installed 78 rapid EV charging points in 36 of our locations. Working with PoGo will enable us to quadruple our EV charging offer, means customers to our retail sites will have access to 329 safe and convenient chargers, providing a charging solution to 658 EV customers.

“PoGo is a young company, but we are impressed with its ambitions and are confident PoGo will help us to meet our responsibilities.

PoGo managing director Stuart Douglas said “This agreement is a perfect example of two organisations coming together to deliver a shared ambition, getting the right infrastructure in the right place, to serve the right people.”

Each installation will feature the PoGo Touch. Rated flexibly at between 50 kW to 600kW this unit offers what are believed to be the fastest charging speeds of any device currently on the UK market.   Its 32-inch touch screen displays tariff and payment instructions, as well as potential customisable advertising for local retailers.

PoGo’s boss said LCP chose it not just for its technology, but for its professionalism and agility. “Proven reliability, both of our technology and in our operational delivery, were key to securing this exciting partnership,” he added.

Daniel Rainsden, property cost controller for LCP, commented: “We are thrilled to embark on this significant venture with PoGo.  LCP recognises the importance of sustainable practices and believes in playing a pivotal role in fostering a cleaner air environment.

“This initiative aligns with our commitment to community well-being, providing enhanced convenience for EV users throughout the UK. We are confident that this collaboration will not only meet the growing demand for EV charging but also contribute positively to the communities surrounding our retail developments”.

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Online car marketplace Carwow is the manufacturer’s partner, contributing its extensive database.

Its figures reveal that 15% of 320,000 car purchase enquiries so far in  2023 have been for EVs.

Even with Rishi Sunak’s slowing of the government’s mandate to stop the sale of new ICE vehicles cars by 2035, Britain faces – or so the partners’ numbers indicate – a widening gap between customer interests in EVs and cash-strapped councils’ ability to install public charge points.

Over 45,000 EVs were registered in the UK last month, a new peak of 17% of the new car market. Over the same period a mere 1,432 public EV charging devices were added to industry bellwether ZapMap’s database.

Over 70% of UK councils lack a published strategy for residential on-street charging, research for Vauxhall’s Electric Streets of Britain campaign has found.  Almost the same share, 69% of local authorities, are yet to install their first on-street charger.

An estimated 80% of EV charging at present takes place in home driveways or on-street.  Yet 40% of all households do not have access to off-street parking; in towns and cities, that figure rises above 60%.

As part of its Electric Streets campaign, Vauxhall has set up an enablement fund to improve councils’ understanding of EV charging needs on-street outside Britain’s homes. Insights have come through its work with charging operators char.gy, Connected Kerb and SureCharge.

Vauxhall managing director James Taylor commented: “We know that over 70% of UK councils have no published strategy for residential on-street charging and want to help local authorities install charging infrastructure where it’s needed, so car buyers are not put off by a lack of available charging as the number of EVs on the road grows.

“From 2035, Government mandate dictates that all new cars sold must be electric, and this data shows there is work to do to support consumers making the switch. Electric Streets is just part of a package of measures Vauxhall is introducing to improve accessibility, including everything from investing in EV manufacturing in the UK, at our Ellesmere Port facility, to introducing long term PCP deals.”

The government’s zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) mandate comes into force next year. It requires a minimum 22% of cars, and 10% of vans, sold by manufacturers to be electric.

carwow’s share of enquiry by fuel type data demonstrates that nationwide interest in electric vehicles needs to increase by 7% if car makers are to hit the UK’s mandated 22% EV market share next year.

The Electric Streets programme also includes a new national database at http://electricstreets.co.uk/ for the public to register their charging needs. carwow has joined the initiative to help drive EV adoption.

Carwow’s commercial director Sepi Arani said: “People across Britain are looking to make the switch to electric, as we move from the innovators and the early adopters already driving EVs to the early majority.

“Our data clearly demonstrates strong and consistent interest in EVs, despite some motorists living in areas with little private off-street parking“.

In its line-up from 2024, Vauxhall will offer a fully electric version of every car and van model.

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Bonnet has more than doubled its coverage in Europe in just three months, and now boasts over 200,000 chargers in 12 countries, where drivers can use its award-winning app.

Launching in 2021, the firm says it has rapidly expanded its user-friendly way to charge electric cars for an ever-increasing number of drivers. Now the company wants to give its users an opportunity to take a stake in its mission to make charging accessible for all.

Over 2023, Bonnet plans to develop its offering, focusing on reliability and increasing charging across the UK and Europe. New features for drivers and fleet managers are promised.

From today, Bonnet’s current clients are invited to register their interest in taking a stake in the start-up.  Next month, non-member potential investors will be given their opportunity to contribute capital.

Current recognisable backers in the firm include, so it says, founder entrepreneurs from Tier, Wise, and Deliveroo, alongside notable investors such as Google Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and 20VC.

Bonnet CEO and co-founder Patrick Reich said: “We are very excited to allow our huge driver community the opportunity to take a stake in our mission to decarbonise transport and make EV charging accessible for all.

Reich and co-founder Eliot Makabu, pictured above, came up with the Bonnet concept while studying electrical engineering.  The company partners now with over 40 networks, including SureCharge, Enel X Way ESB, Shell Recharge, Fastned, Total and EV Stromnetz Hamburg, among others.

“Bonnet has been growing rapidly since we launched just under two years ago, providing drivers with an easy and reliable way to charge their car, ” Reich explained.

“We have been thrilled to be supported so far by major global investors, and now we want to provide our driver community, who have helped us on the road to success, with a chance to have a real share in the next stage of Bonnet’s journey.

In December 2022 Bonnet won Driving Electric’s “Best Electric Car App” Award for 2023

“Our business is in an extremely strong position”, said Reich, “as thousands of people each day start driving electric. We expect to zoom forward as the number one app for EV owners – whether they charge at home, on their street, or on the go – as countries continue to decarbonise their roads”.

More info here.

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For the first time, say the partners, engineers fitting air-sourced or ground-sourced clean heat devices in Octopus customers’ homes can now fit a grid-protecting fuse in a single visit.

Today’s link between Octopus and UKPN, network operators covering  England’s densely populated south east, is the first time any DNO has permitted technicians from an accredited supplier to make micro-changes affecting a regional grid.

The move comes as heat pump providers’ marketing departments search for ways to overcome customer resistance.  A major fear remains high – but falling – upfront costs to replace gas boilers with pumps run on electricity.

By 2025, the government wants 600,000 homes to have stripped out conventional boilers, in favour of heat pumps.  Fewer than 50,000 have done so.

This week a Lords committee reported how the Conservatives’ nine-month old boiler replacement scheme offering £5,000 grants is achieving only half the required rate.

A price war since January over heat pumps has seen British Gas and Octopus, the nation’s first and third electricity suppliers, undercut each other’s installation deals.  Octopus announced an £3,000 all-in offer, only for its Centrica-owned rival to respond with a £2,500 promotion.

Over a twelve-month pilot, UKPN trained dozens of Octopus engineers to perform fuse upgrades alongside pump installations.  The measure now also includes home fittings of new EV chargers.

The partners are calling for other DNOs to repeat their success.

John Szymik, CEO of Octopus Energy Services, commented: “By carrying out fuse upgrades at the same time as EV chargers and heat pumps, Octopus has saved homeowners time, and opened up possibilities for those itching to switch to green transport and heat.

“UK Power Networks has shown vision in initiating this project. We would like to see more suppliers and DNOs to follow in our footsteps to make sure houses across the country have the means to decarbonise quickly and easily. This is the best way to wean ourselves off gas for good.”

Ian Cameron, UKPN’s innovation director, said: “We want to make it as easy as possible for people to switch to a heat pump. Training Octopus engineers means they can get it done there and then when the heat is needed, quickly and safely.

“Collaboration across the industry is key for the UK to achieve its Net Zero ambitions.”

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