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Looking to the near future in the world of EV charging, Atkins predicts pay-as-you-go will be a forthcoming trend, using pay by phone rather than having to administer charging cards, while the firm is also working with leading lease firm Hitachi to look at bundling the cost of charging points into a lease, removing the up-front cost that could prove prohibitive to businesses. "We don't want to be leasing vehicles ourselves but if the partnership can benefit everyone then why not?" says Atkins.
But he feels electric vehicles, and the need for a charging infrastructure is here to stay. "The Government has invested so much more with the new funding, such a strategy won't be a failure and it's here to stay," he concludes. "Now is the time for businesses to take steps and take EVs into fleets. There is funding and it will make a statement for the business to stand out because there will come a time where EVs are normal like petrol and diesel."
One innovative solution being explored by British Gas is the use of solar panels as a renewable energy source for charging electric vehicles.
The company has two solar charging points to charge its pair of Nissan Leaf pool cars that run between its offices in Windsor and Slough, and has also set out a commercial proposition if businesses want to follow suit.
"The charge points are good for around 6000 miles per year, and we're in the process of installing them in other offices," said British Gas's electric vehicle boss Andreas Atkins. "It's a great addition to the market and you truly recognise the carbon reduction, not just at the tailpipe."
He says the panels have come down in cost by around 75% since they first hit the market.
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