News

Oct 16, 2023

Electric briefs: Latest EV news from Allstar, Fleet Alliance, Ohme and Raw Charging

Allstar has announced InstaVolt has been added to its electric vehicle (EV)

Allstar has announced InstaVolt has been added to its electric vehicle (EV) charging network, increasing the number of rapid and ultra-rapid charge points.

InstaVolt announced its 1,000th public charging point earlier this year and is working towards its target of 10,000 rapid EV chargers by 2030.

The joining of InstaVolt to the Allstar network brings an additional 500-plus locations and 1,100 chargers for Allstar customers, of which 440 are rapid and 660 are ultra-rapid.

This takes the total Allstar network to over 11,000 charge points across more than 4,000 locations, of which 93% of chargers are fast, rapid, and ultra-rapid.

Tom Rowlands, Fleetcor general manager, global EV solutions, including UK brand, Allstar, said: "InstaVolt has a fantastic rapid network, of more than 1,100 chargers at around 500 locations, it's an essential network for our fleet drivers and our customers have been asking for it for some time. I’m thrilled we’re now able to offer it to them."

He added: "The partnership gives our customers peace of mind that we’re continuing to expand our network, particularly with rapid and ultra-rapid charge points, so that our fleet drivers can charge quickly and be on their way."

Adrian Keen, CEO of InstaVolt, said: "I’ve been talking to Allstar for a number of years to find a solution to bring InstaVolt charging to Allstar customers across the UK, and I’m thrilled that our partnership is now a reality.

"InstaVolt's ambition is to make public rapid charging easy and accessible to all, and that perfectly aligns with Allstar's vision of bringing public charging infrastructure to fleets, across the UK, in a painless manner."

Fleet Alliance has introduced a new tool to help businesses assess whether they are ready to make the transition to electric vehicles (EVs).

For businesses, the tool, which is powered by Diode's EV suitability assessment, highlights how much charging infrastructure is required to support the transition to EVs, when and where to install it, what power is required and an estimate of how much it will cost.

It also outlines employees’ suitability and interest in EVs and assesses the potential vehicle running costs and CO2 savings across the business.

From an employee's perspective, the tool allows them to complete an EV suitability assessment which leads to a personalised driver readiness report. This shows the ways an EV could work for them, detailing the convenience of charging and running-cost savings.

The suitability assessment also includes a detailed breakdown of charging costs and frequency for every EV on the market, and allows drivers to view pricing and select a new vehicle.

Fleet Alliance CEO, Andy Bruce (pictured), said that the new tool would help businesses in their decision-making by providing a clear picture of their readiness to transition to EVs.

"This new tool cuts through the fog of uncertainty that often surrounds the decision to transition to EVs. And by providing clarity, it helps make the decision-making process easier – for both businesses and their employees," he added.

Ohme is the new official charging partner for the Pentagon Motor Group, part of Motus Group (UK).

The agreement will see Pentagon Motor Group recommend Ohme chargers for all of its new and used electrified vehicle sales with an Ohme Home Pro charger in showrooms for customers to view.

Founded in 1991, Pentagon Motor Group is made up of 48 retailers across 23 locations and 13 manufacturer franchises – Citroen, CUPRA, Dacia, Fiat Professional, Ford, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault, SEAT and Vauxhall.

"We are delighted to be partnering with Ohme as our preferred EV home charging supplier," said David Peel, managing director at Pentagon Motor Group.

"We considered many potential charging partners and it was clear to us that Ohme's dynamic smart charging capability, award-winning products and excellent customer service made it the obvious choice for Pentagon's customers."

Ohme is the official charger provider for the Volkswagen Group in the UK and Ireland as well as Motability Operations, the largest fleet operator in the UK, and has just been named as the Best Electric Charging Point Provider by Business Motoring.

Raw Charging has announced a new contract with Exclusive Collection, a collection of independent country house hotels and spas across the UK, to install and operate electric vehicle (EV) charge points.

Raw has recently launched charging facilities at a large number of hospitality and retail sites across the UK as landlords seek to provide their customers with EV charging facilities.

This roll-out of EV chargers includes the largest new EV charging hub in London at Brent Cross, the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet York, and plans for a new ChargeYard in Oxford as part of a sponsorship with Oxford City Football Club.

Bruce Galliford, CEO of Raw Charging, said: "It has been brilliant to work with Exclusive Collection to deliver EV charging to five of their sites in the UK.

"EV charging is a valuable addition to their range of exclusive hotels, including Pennyhill Park hotel.

"There are more EVs on the road than ever before and hotels have a huge opportunity to roll-out EV chargers at their sites, giving their customers new and necessary services as the number of EV drivers increases.

"This partnership is the next step in RAW's delivery of EV charging across the UK and Europe."

In our special report

EV fleet strategy: planning for success

Guide to EV jargon

Total cost of ownership

EV power options

Claiming expenses: payback time for business mileage

Driver uptake: winning hearts and minds

Launch guide: EVs coming soon

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Gareth has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist having started his career in local newspapers in the 1990s. Prior to joining Fleet News in 2008, he worked in the public sector as a media advisor and is currently news editor at Fleet News.