Business campaign launched to speed up switch to EVs

The Climate Group has launched a new business campaign which aims to speed up the switch to electric vehicles.

The EV100 initiative aims to encourage global business commitments to electric transport, with members swapping their large diesel and petrol fleets to electric models and/or installing charging infrastructure by 2030.

Baidu, Deutsche Post DHL Group, Heathrow Airport, HP Inc., IKEA Group, LeasePlan, METRO AG, PG&E, Unilever and Vettenfall are the first 10 members EV100.

Helen Clarkson, chief executive officer, The Climate Group, said: “We want to make electric transport the new normal. There are two fundamental problems to be addressed. Transport is still the fastest growing area of carbon emissions, as the shift to electric vehicles is not happening fast enough; and mass system change, even with government intervention, needs much greater customer demand.

“EV100 will use companies’ collective global buying power and influence on employees and customers to build demand and cut costs."

Companies joining EV100 make a public commitment to fast-track EV uptake in one or more of the following four commitment areas by 2030:
integrating electric vehicles directly into owned or leased corporate fleets; placing requirements in service contracts for electric vehicle usage; supporting staff to use electric vehicles (by installing workplace charging infrastructure); and supporting electric vehicle uptake by customers (by installing customer charging infrastructure).