Dispelling EV myths with Centrica’s Head of Fleet Partnerships

Dispelling EV myths with Centrica’s Head of Fleet Partnerships

Apr 19, 2021

Podcast recap: Are EVs more expensive? Do they really take all day to charge? If you use a car wash are you in for a shocking surprise?

Chris Jackson, Head of Fleet Partnerships at Centrica Business Solutions, spoke to future Net Zero to dispel some of the most common myths and beliefs surrounding battery-powered cars. Chris has driven pretty much every electric vehicle (EV) there is over the past 15 years, covering tens of thousands of miles and by his own account experienced “the good, the bad and the downright ugly of the UK’s charging infrastructure”.

EV’s might not be as expensive as you think

Chris Jackson said “In the fleet world, there’s this long-established concept of total cost of ownership, which just means accurately measuring all of the fixed and variable costs of motoring for as long as you have the vehicle, not just on the initial list price of it."

This has started to translate into the retail market as people understand how the low running costs of an EV offsets its higher purchase price. In addition to this, the initial cost of purchasing an EV is reducing, with more affordable models from MG, Fiat, Vauxhall, Peugeot and others.

Government intervention

As well as the fixed and variable costs associated with an EV it’s also important to take into consideration the impact of potential future government intervention. This includes future penalties associated with internal combustion engines, such as the cost of driving into clean air zones, higher fuel duties, lower resale values and higher taxes.

BGB solutions

EV's are an essential part of the journey to net-zero, and as more people make the switch to green transport, what steps is your business taking? To start your transition to EV it all starts with a call from our EV experts followed by a free site survey so we can understand your requirements and build the right charging solution for your business. Discover how we can support you to become EV ready below.

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Balancing planet and profit during unprecedented market volatility

06 Jul, 2022

Balancing planet and profit during unprecedented market volatility

Why are energy prices high compared to a year ago?

By Vander Caceres • 14 Jun, 2022

Wholesale energy prices have experienced unprecedented levels of volatility since the end of summer 2021, with both day ahead/spot and future contracts surging to all-time highs. In the last couple of months, prices have decreased but still remain high compared to a year ago. This period of high energy prices is expected to continue for the foreseeable future (see next section). Energy prices have surged for a number of reasons: A global increase in gas demand following the ease or end of Covid-related restrictions throughout 2021. After the pandemic, economies across the world started to recover. Asian countries like China saw their imports of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) increase. This resulted in lower LNG shipments to the UK and Europe. On the supply side, the Covid-19 lockdowns pushed some maintenance work from 2020 into 2021 at a time when demand was recovering. In 2021, gas production hit a record low of 363TWh, 47TWh below the previous record low in 2013. Low production was the result of an extensive summer maintenance schedule which saw shutdowns at several major terminals, as well as the Forties Pipeline System which serves a significant proportion of UK gas and oil production. A lack of wind in the summer resulted in higher demand for conventional power. European gas storage in 2021 and Q1’22 remained far below previous years and it’s unclear how these are going to be replenished in the summer given the concerns around supply including the potential suspension of Russian gas flows due to sanctions. The 1,234km offshore Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which was designed to double the flow of gas between Russia and Germany (and by extension the rest of Europe) has been abandoned following the invasion of Ukraine. Gas storage in the UK is extremely minimal with capacity at less than 2% of the UK’s annual demand, compared with 22% for other European countries. Whilst the UK is not heavily reliant on gas coming from Russia, it sources almost half it’s gas supply from Europe. Hence, wholesale gas and power prices in the UK are now subject to knock-on-effects from the conflict in Ukraine.

What does volatility mean for your journey to net zero?

20 May, 2022

Amidst rising energy costs, digitalisation, growing pressure from stakeholders and increasing regulation, organisations may struggle to define their pathway to a low-carbon future. What can you do to protect your business’ net zero plans from the challenges of volatility? Disruption and volatility are putting organisations under pressure. Digitalisation and new technology developments continue to challenge existing business models. Its increasing dependence on energy and encouraging businesses to drive change to secure competitive advantage. And as customers, employees and shareholders look to engage with companies who understand the importance of decarbonisation, pressure is mounting to prioritise sustainability.

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