Mitie set to smash EV target, but warns charging lag threatens net zero

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Mitie’s electric vehicle rollout continues apace. The firm now has its 250th electric vehicle, a Nissan van, on the road at client Heathrow Airport.

However, the company has urged other firms and government to commit to decarbonising transport or risk blowing carbon targets.

Mitie has committed to switching 20 per cent of its cars and light commercial vehicles to EVs by the end of this year, some 717 vehicles. With another 400 electric vehicles set to arrive before the end of March, the company looks set to comfortably meet that target.

The firm is now working out how to decarbonise the larger vehicles in its fleet, but says lack of larger vans remains a key barrier, alongside charging infrastructure.

Simon King: Step up required

Simon King, Mitie director of sustainability and EV strategy, called for greater public and private commitment to decarbonisation of transport.

“If the UK is going to meet crucial targets to reduce carbon and minimise the effects of climate change, we need more businesses, like Heathrow Airport, as well as government departments and city councils, to join us in the switch to electric vehicles,” said King.

“The first step to achieving this is ensuring an adequate number of charge points, in the places where they are needed most, are installed all over the UK, so that drivers are sure they can charge where and when they need to.”

Mitie’s Simon King will speak at The Energyst’s EV Event, a free conference and exhibition, 22-23 April, Silverstone. Register to attend here.

Other speakers include experts from: Arup, Arval, Birmingham Airport, BP Chargemaster, Cenex, Connected Energy, Ecuity, EDF, Engenie, EV8, Gnewt, Honda, Liberty Global, Marston’s, National Grid, Nuvve, Octopus Electric Vehicles, Nottingham City Council, UK Power Networks, UPS, Volvo, Western Power Distribution and more.

Related stories:

Mitie: Bigger electric vans key to decarbonising fleet

Mitie procurement chief: Show me the EVs

Free report: EVs and charging infrastructure for businesses

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1 COMMENT

  1. An admirable effort, but a load of poppycock in reality. These Climate Change Nazis have NO IDEA about the Carbon, and more particularly, the CO2 cycle. It is nothing more than a money-making racket, and wants exposing.

    By all means cut pollution, but transferring the emissions elsewhere is false economy. Just wait until all these batteries call time. Then the problems will start. I’m hoping this climate change drivel will be exposed, and fade into obscurity, just as the Ozone hole issue did.

    Rather plant trees to maintain the carbon cycle.

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