AFP shared charging now available in 15 London boroughs

Ultra rapid chargers are now available in 15 of London’s 33 boroughs through the Association of Fleet Professionals’ (AFP’s) shared charging scheme.

Paul Hollick, AFP chair, said the development opened the door to wider adoption of the initiative in the capital and had been made possible by onboarding a number of major fleets.

‘We have been having conversations with a number of large operators across London that have opened the door to much wider coverage. In an area with a high level of electric vehicle (EV) use, it strengthens our offering by providing a fast, easy to access, lower cost charging option,’ he explained.

Paul said the shared charging initiative, which was launched in May last year, had been gathering increasing momentum in recent months.

‘We have been concentrating on spreading the word about the concept and now have several active user organisations with many more either taking part in trials or preparing to join the network. 

‘At a point in time when access to charging is still probably the major block to EV adoption for the majority of fleets, shared charging offers a viable third option in addition to home and highway facilities. Its advantages are becoming ever more apparent to fleets and progress is definitely being made.’

The AFP shared charging network is operated by the AFP’s partner, Evata, and enables vehicle operators with their own charging facilities to offer them to other fleets. For the provider, it brings revenue and higher utilisation; and for the user, cheaper charging and better coverage. It is accessed through a dedicated app and portal.

Shakeel Ali, CEO of Evata, explained the approach behind shared charging was very much consultative. ‘Our method is to identify charging needs for each individual fleet and its vehicles then, using relevant data such as telematics, match them with convenient, privately owned facilities within our network. The owners of these shared chargers are signed up to our initiative, solving the problems of both convenience and cost.

‘By providing a data driven approach to this structural problem, we do the heavy lifting, presenting each fleet with a comprehensive solution tailored to their needs. It is a significant and highly effective addition to the conventional charging options available to fleets today.’

The AFP could offer chargers at a potential 11,000 locations nationally, he added, while the online portal for fleet operators and self-serve mobile app for drivers provided a fully secure means for the delivery of shared charging.

‘The portal offers visibility and control of shared charging use for fleet managers while the app provides drivers with charger locations, availability, the ability to book in advance and any specific information prevalent to the site,’ he said.

The London boroughs covered by AFP shared charging are Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Croydon, Enfield, Haringey, Harrow, Islington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Southwark, Sutton and Wandsworth.