Scania UK expanding charge network across 45 sites by 2030

While it may seem easy to simply add chargers to an existing system, the reality is that it’s often not that simple.

In Scania’s case, they found that choosing a management system that worked across any OCPP-compatible charger was a key part in ensuring flexibility in building a network that worked for them.

Jones goes on to explain: “It’s imperative that we’re not locked in to one hardware provider, especially as the market expands and charger capability changes. Knowing that our back office software would work with any OCPP-compliant hardware was a key part in future-proofing our charging, and ensuring long-term confidence in our network. With Clenergy EV software, we’re covered no matter our growth plans.”

Will David, our CEO and a keen advocate of OCPP in the EV industry expands on some of these lessons. He cites that in the rush to hit their net zero targets, a number of businesses are now tied into proprietary software and hardware bundles:

“For many starting their transition, getting chargers in the ground is the first priority. But actually, some managers are finding themselves locked in after unwittingly choosing chargers to build their network that only work with their own back-office systems. That means either using one type of charger across their entire network, or juggling multiple management systems”, Will David explains.

“By identifying Clenergy EV as a flexible software provider, Scania can choose any OCPP-compliant chargers and manage them from a single place.”

Alongside this need for a software provider that worked across a huge range of compatible chargers, there were also other potential roadblocks to its transition that Scania UK had to address. This included its drivers’ reception to the vehicles:

“We also identified a need to bring employees with us from the start of our transition,” Jones explained.

“With issues such as range anxiety and charge point availability prevalent in the press, it was important that we delivered a driver’s experience that countered these narratives.”

“Partnering with Clenergy EV for our fleet management has been a big part of that. With drivers able to use the Clenergy EV app or a simple ‘scan and go’ refueling card across its massive network of chargers, providing our drivers with an easy-to-use system to charge both off and on-site has been a big help in managing reception to the change.”

“Beyond that, we found that if issues were to arise with ourselves or our drivers, Clenergy’s 24/7 customer service line and account management team had both ourselves and our drivers covered.”

Scania UK also organised an EV roadshow to travel across its network, demonstrating to employees in real terms the EV driver experience, and how its electric transition fits into the company’s wider plans. 

For Scania, the reasoning behind its EV transition ahead of schedule is all about sustainability.

Embarking on its fleet transition as part of a wider commitment to the Science Bases Target Initiative, the group identified the transition of its internal fleet to EV as having massive potential to reduce its emissions.

And having identified the transition of its internal fleet to EV as having massive potential to reduce its emissions, they’re already starting to see the results. So far in 2023 alone, the group has saved 15,000kg of Co2 across its five sites currently equipped with EV charging facilities. That figure is only expected to rise, reaching 300,000kg of savings annually when scaled up to cover its entire UK operations.

Without onboarding a smart fleet management system built to scale up to 100x its user base, these reductions would be limited in their ability to help achieve Scania’s overarching goal of achieving a decarbonised transport system. The Group’s achievements in the early stages of its transition also show the benefits for organisations in making the switch well  before mandated deadlines:

“The first step in transitioning is always the hardest, but as soon as you make it, the rest of the experience is a lot more straightforward,” Louis Jones said.

“And with our goal of reaching a full fleet transition by 2030 and driving down global and transport-specific emissions as much as possible, we just thought, why delay the benefits any further?”

Clenergy EV’s Will David added on the group’s sustainability drive:

“With 95% of total global emissions still being generated by fossil fuel combustion, there’s huge potential for the transport industry to lead the way in decarbonising industry. That’s why we’re happy to partner with industry-leading clients intent on making a difference, such as Scania UK. Through our partnership, we’re proud to deliver a fairer, more sustainable EV charging system solution, and to be part of a wider push for positive change.”

By partnering with a trusted software partner to assist with its transition, Scania UK finds itself able to scale ahead of Government targets and make the most of the benefits provided by its EV charging software:

Clenergy EV for fleet managers

• Access a single place to manage and report on your vehicles, whether they are at home, on the road or in the workplace
• Simplify vehicle and staff management, address employee charge point usage, tariffs and location habits, as well as reduce admin with a single set of receipts
• Continually evolve your network and extend its lifetime with mix and match chargers that meet your real-world requirements
• Minimise disruption, recoup costs, manage grid capacity, and deliver reliability using real-time data and analytics 

Clenergy EV for charge point operators

• Grow your charging sites, confident our latest EV charging technologies and partnerships will support efficiently run driver-recommended networks
• Maximise the number of chargers you can install at a site without expensive electrical infrastructure upgrades leveraging our load management systems  
• Meet emerging regulations (reliability, contactless payment, 24/7 helplines), and allow engineers to run diagnostics to fix downed chargers with the touch of a button
• Easily monetise chargers by setting up variable and off-peak tariffs for customer groups and access comprehensive reports and tools to inform site profitability