Meet the GREENFLEET Award finalists for 2023

The GREENFLEET Awards continue to celebrate environmental excellence within the fleet sector. We take a close look at the organisations and individuals that have been shortlisted for an award this year

The GREENFLEET awards, sponsored by Optimize, will once again celebrate the organisations and individuals committed to reducing transport emissions.
    
The awards take place on 7 December at the British Motor Museum and will be presented by comedian Simon Evans.
    
This year sees the introduction of new categories to reflect the evolving market. To distinguish between the different types of EV charging provision, there’s one EV charging category that recognises fleet and workplace charging, and one that recognises public charging. There are also two categories for leasing based on fleet size, and an award for Alternative Fuels Provider of the Year, applauding suppliers of green fuels such as natural gas, HVO and hydrogen.
    
This year also marks the tenth year of the EV Champions. As well as those announced on the night, the winners from the previous nine years will form the ‘EV Champions Hall Of Fame’.

Public Sector Car Fleet of the Year

Police Scotland has made the shortlist for the Public Sector Car Fleet of the Year for its significant introduction of greener vehicles onto its fleet; with 1,025 ultra low emission vehicles, this makes up 30 per cent of the overall fleet. It also has 738 fully electric vehicles and plans are already underway to increase this during 2023/24 financial year. Over the past three years, Police Scotland has reduced diesel consumption from 5.7 million to 3.8 million litres. This equates to a projected gross reduction in carbon emissions of over 4,000 tCO2e.
    
London Ambulance Service has been recognised for its fleet of 35 electric Mustang Mach-E cars – reported to be the biggest fully electric fleet of Fast Response Units (FRUs) in the UK. It takes just 40 minutes to charge the Mustang battery to 80 per cent and that allows the car to travel more than 300 miles, which is about ten times further than an ambulance would normally cover on a shift.
    
Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust, in partnership with Hiyacar, has been shortlisted for its successful transition to electric vehicles and hybrids within the pool vehicle fleet. This strategic shift has resulted in a substantial reduction in pool vehicle emissions and grey fleet emissions.  

Public Sector Commercial Fleet of the Year

Nottingham City Council has been shortlisted in recognition of its electric vehicles and charging provision. The council has been operating a predominantly electric fleet since February 2023 with 243 of 475 vehicles fully electric. The Council’s fleet includes the UK’s first fully electric sweeper, cage tipper and minibus as well as the world’s first fully electric OEM refuse collection vehicle. The electric vehicles are saving over £1 million each year in fuel and maintenance, and 1,162 tonnes of CO2. At its Eastcroft Depot, the council has fitted 40 bi-directional charge points, 138kWp of solar panels, 720kWh battery storage, a 2MW substation and 84 Nissan EVs.
    
Falkirk Council is also competing for the award, recognised for its commitment to decarbonising its fleet. The council has introduced EVs into its building maintenance fleet which consists of 143 large vans, small vans and tippers. So far the council has focussed on the large vans as this makes up the majority of the fleet (109) and just over 50 per cent of these are now electric (55).
    
Another contender in this category is Westminster City Council, who is applauded for using alternative fuel technologies in its waste, cleansing, and recycling fleet. These include testing compressed natural gas (CNG), hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), and hydrogen, as well as upcycling old diesel trucks to fully electric vehicles and securing a large fleet of OEM full electric trucks.
    
In 2023, Westminster City Council launched the UK’s first large fully electric depot with highly sophisticated smart power balancing charging infrastructure for a fleet of 45, 27-tonne electric trucks and 15 LGVs. The power for the depot to charge these large electric trucks is procured from an energy from waste plant, where Westminster’s non-recyclable waste is incinerated. This model saves over 2,600 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
    
London Ambulance Service has also made the shortlist for the Public Sector Commercial Fleet of the Year. Following a significant investment and huge amount of innovation, London Ambulance Service has reduced the weight of its ambulances down to 3.5 tonnes (from 5 tonnes), saving 30 per cent of the exhaust emissions across 128 new vehicles. It has now taken this a step further and have just got its first fully electric ambulance from an OEM. The Trust has three more being delivered and when proven, are planning to buy these at scale in 2024.
    
The London Borough of Islington also makes the shortlist, recognised for its fleet electrification programme as well as the construction of a first-of-its-kind new substation in the basement of the Waste and Recycling Centre, whilst EVCP installation has been programmed as required across a number of years. To date, this is the UK’s largest indoor EV charging facility for a local authority owned depot. Completed under budget, it created opportunities for solar decarbonisation projects, heat pumps, battery storage, V2X trials, and EV charging points.
    
Recognising fleet professionals delivering innovation, the shortlist for the Public Sector Fleet Manager of the year consists of Edward Yendluri from Westminister City Council, Stewart Taylor from Police Scotland, and Chris Demetriou from London Borough of Islington.

Private Sector Car Fleet of the Year

Thomas Hardie Commercials has been shortlisted in recognition of its fully electric business car fleet and for eliminating its use of grey fleet. The company’s five main locations each have four 7kw charge points installed and a further two 7kw chargers are available at another smaller depot. The company also provides a public charge card that provides access to a range of charge point operators, while minimising any personal expenditure. This service also extends to a home charge service.
    
Eric Wright is also up for the Private Sector Car Fleet of the Year award, due to its work embedding electric vehicles into its car fleet – making up 69 per cent. What’s more, the company’s order bank comprises 84 per cent electric vehicles, 12 per cent PHEVs, two per cent PHEV & two per cent mild hybrid. Pool cars are available to book as a way of reducing grey fleet, and the company offers a charging facility to all its staff.
    
The shortlist in this category also includes E.ON UK, which currently has 620 company cars on its fleet, with 79 per cent of those being electric. This keeps the company firmly on track for its target of being fully electric by 2025.
E.ON UK’s average CO2 across the company car fleet is 19g/km, an 85 per cent reduction in emissions in the three and a half years since the company started its fleet decarbonisation journey. E.ON has a good numbers of electric vehicle charges at its sites, and is also looking to reduce other travel related emissions by introducing a travel booking system.

Private Sector Commercial Fleet of the Year

Parcel delivery company Evri is a contender for the Private Sector Commercial Fleet of the Year award, for its impressive work introducing electric and other alternatively fuelled vehicles onto its fleet. Last year the company brought in 30 new Bio-CNG tractor units, increasing the total to 190 – almost half of its core HGV fleet. Each unit reduces CO2 emissions by up to 95 per cent compared to a diesel alternative – a reduction of 150+ tonnes of CO2 per vehicle and 24,000+ tonnes of CO2 across the entire Bio-CNG fleet annually. The company is trialling two electric HGVs, has doubled the number of electric vans in service in London, and is utilising e-cargo bikes.
    
Another company hoping to pick up the accolade of Private Sector Commercial Fleet of the Year is Welch’s Transport, which has been recognised for its work greening its fleet and helping other hauliers to do the same. Last year the company took on one of the country’s first 19-ton battery electric HGVs. Adding to this achievement is the installation of a 150-kW charger back which holds the mantle for the only HGV publicly accessible supercharger in the UK, a resource shared with fellow hauliers. The company is also harnessing artificial intelligence to optimize their routes and reduce emissions.
    
Nicholls Transport has also made the shortlist, recognised for its work taking on alternatively fuelled vehicles. The company has a fleet of 105 trucks, with 42 of these run LNG from biomethane. In the last half of 2022, these vehicles produced over 191 per cent saving on GHG emissions compared to diesel trucks and in the first half of 2023, it achieved a 142 per cent saving. During this period the company has covered over 1,821,000 kms in its gas trucks, saving circa 3,185 tonnes of CO2. The company has partnered with GasRec to install the only LNG refuelling station in the southeast on its site and is obtaining planning permission for an LNG/CNG/Electric refuelling station on its site to be open to all hauliers.
    
Also gracing the shortlist is Royal Mail Group, celebrated for achievements greening its vast fleet of 43,000 vans and 4,000 trucks. The company has an environmental plan to reduce the average carbon emissions per parcel and become net zero by 2040. To date, it has the UK’s largest commercial EV fleet of over 5,000 vehicles across 154 electric delivery and collection units, 22 of which are 100 per cent electrified. Royal Mail is also using bio-CNG and HVO in its trucks.
    
Riverford is up for an award due to its success in electrifying its fleet. The company operates a fleet of 285 vans, 35 cars and 15 HGVs. The company is currently 33 per cent electrified across the car and van fleet, with 110 electric vehicles on fleet operating across the UK. Riverford has 78 electric vans and 32 electric company cars. Over the next two years as it works towards its 100 per cent electric fleet goal, Riverford plans to add more electric vans.
    
Speedy Asset Services has been shortlisted due to its work electrifying its fleet and installing EV charging. The company has completely changed the company car list from diesel vehicles to either electric or PHEVs, and now has chargers at over 20 sites – with plans to have them in every location by the end of 2024. Speedy has a strategic partnership with an electric vehicle builder to supply all its HGVs in the coming years. The company also has a 27t full EV plant bodied vehicle, which is based in its new innovation centre in Milton Keynes. What’s more, Speedy and FHOSS have partnered to enhance the vehicle safety of its fleet.
    
The final contender for the title of Private Sector Commercial Vehicle Fleet of the year is Grundon Waste Management. In summer 2023, Grundon unveiled its first electric waste collection vehicles, one of which is powered directly by electricity generated from the waste it collects. Demonstrating innovation, Grundon installed a dedicated EV charging point at the side of the EfW. This allows the driver to plug the vehicle in and recharge it with electricity created by the waste deposited. A number of the company’s vehicles are run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and its company car fleet is 68 per cent electric. Overall, Grundon has reduced its carbon emissions by almost 80 per cent since 2000.
    
Competing for the the title of Private Sector Fleet Manager of the Year is Stuart Murphy from Royal Mail, Aaron Powell from Speedy Asset Services, and Chris Welch from Welch’s Transport.

IT Innovation Award

The IT Innovation award examines the latest advancements in fleet technology, including fleet management software, E
F telematics, route tracking and other IT related transport technology.
    
Paythru has made the shortlist, recognised for its innovative, scalable payment services tailored for both Charge Point Operators and EV Charging customers. Its “Virtual Terminals” is a solution that empowers CPOs to initiate charging for customers when traditional payment terminals experience downtime.
    
Lightfoot’s telematics solution is also celebrated for its technology that empowers drivers through positive reinforcement.  Lightfoot is proven to reduce CO2 emissions by 15 per cent in petrol and diesel vehicles, by guiding drivers away from aggressive driving habits through real-time feedback.
    
Paua’s cutting-edge charging software is also up for the IT Innovation award, as well as its white-label EV charging solutions which have been adopted by Cinch and Motability. Cinch partnered with Paua to create cinchCharge, which was designed to simplify EV charging for end-users, merging multiple networks and payment avenues under cinch’s ecosystem. Teaming up with Motability Operations, Paua introduced Motability Go Charge, a single-app payment solution curated for the Motability Scheme clientele, aiming to uplift their public charging network experience.
    
Another contender for the IT Innovation award is Dynamon for its new Synthetic Telematics module which allows businesses to run a virtual electric fleet. The technology, similar to that used by aerospace manufacturers, can either take existing telematics data or create its own. Using ZERO’s extensive, bespoke database of almost all electric commercial vehicles, fleets can spec exact vehicles, including options such as battery size, tyre choice, weights, optional extras and accessories. Next, they can then create routes, using either existing journeys or by plotting new ones. Fleets can now run their entire operation virtually before a wheel even turns for real.
    
Octopus Electroverse for Business is on the shortlist for its innovative management solution for businesses with EV fleets through a new online platform, with customisable reporting functions and access to over 590,000 public chargers on Octopus Electroverse. With over 190 businesses registered in the product’s first quarter, this platform targets and overcomes the typical challenges businesses face when managing an EV fleet.
    
Also on the shortlist for IT Innovation is Geotab for its new innovations such as its ‘Active Insights’, which is a free, turn-key intelligence engine leveraging a customer’s fleet-generated data, together with more than 3.8 million vehicles in the Geotab ecosystem, to act as an ‘AI fleet manager’. As it continues to learn, it proactively identifies opportunities for managers to maximise safety, productivity, and sustainability. By keeping vehicles in optimum condition, it can also improve fuel economy by as much as five to ten per cent.  
    
Webfleet – Bridgestone Mobility Solutions’ fleet management platform – also makes the grade for its continued innovation to help businesses electrify their fleets. The most recent innovation is a new EV route optimisation solution that helps to maximise fleet productivity and minimise downtime. Businesses can now plan routes for drivers that take account of battery levels, capacity, average energy consumption and charge point locations. Plus fleet managers can keep track of the energy usage for every vehicle trip via a data report or visual map. Energy efficiency colour coding for journeys is depicted on a map trace, for an at-a-glance picture.
    
AssetWorks is recognised for its FleetFocus EDGE software which has the ability to transform operations of all sizes and maximises their operational efficiency while helping them meet their sustainability goals. Extensive research revealed that the average workshop consumed approximately 18,840 sheets of paper annually, resulting in the felling of 2.26 trees. Therefore, workshops using EDGE can effectively save 2.2 tons of CO2 a year. The company also plants a tree for each technician who chooses to switch to a tablet using FleetFocus EDGE.
   
The final company on the shortlist for IT Innovation is Trakm8, recognised for its Optimisation Algorithm which has been used within Sainsbury’s fleet to significantly improve its delivery efficiency performance. Trakm8 developed and hosted a highly scalable elastic service algorithms for home delivery optimisation which provide end customers with flexible slot booking availability, as well as highly efficient schedule planning for delivery drivers.

Leasing Company of the Year Award (up to 20,000 vehicles)

This year there are two categories for leasing companies, depending on their fleet size.
    
For the category up to 20,000 vehicles, Grosvenor Leasing has been shortlisted, in recognition of its 0Zone EV transition consultancy service. This service has been guiding fleet customers to become some of the greenest in the country, while also ensuring its own fleet leads by example. By 2025, Grosvenor Leasing’s internal fleet will be completely emission-free. Already, its in-house fleet is 85 per cent electrified, with 60 per cent of vehicles fully electric. Through Grosvenor’s innovative electric van switch programme, customers can source an ICE van on a flexible contract, then switch to an EV with free early termination when a suitable fully-electric van is offered by manufacturers.
    
Prohire has also been recognised in the leasing category, for the establishment of ProGreen, its division committed to alternative fuels, electric vehicles, and other eco-conscious initiatives, for all types of vehicles that also support the cold chain industry. Prohire is proud to have achieved industry firsts with its ProGreen division, including the creation of all-electric temperature-controlled vehicles
    
Lookers Vehicle Solutions has also been shortlisted in the leasing category, for its  commitment to the transition to battery electric vehicles. The percentage of fully electric car leases has increased enormously since 2019 from 0.4 per cent of its fleet to 52 per cent. Lookers Group, in conjunction with the Carbon Literacy Project, Auto Trader and other companies, has developed a Carbon Literacy Toolkit for the automotive industry. This provides industry-specific information on reducing carbon emissions. All Lookers Vehicle Solutions employees have now completed this training.

Leasing Company of the Year Award (over 20,000 vehicles)

In the larger leasing company category, Volkswagen Financial Services Fleet has made the cut in recognition of its EVolve proposition – which offers support for fleets, including a host of tools, solutions, services and advice. Its EVolve proposition has had significant environmental impacts, with a 58 per cent CO2 deduction across its order bank between 2020 and 2022, and EV orders growing ahead of industry averages.
    
The newly merged ALD Automotive and LeasePlan (ALD-LP) have also made the shortlist for putting decarbonisation at the core of what they do. As of June 23, 19 per cent of LeasePlan and 45 per cent of ALD car deliveries were EVs. They also have an ambition to achieve net zero tailpipe emissions by 2030. Electrification is advocated through the EV100, World EV Day, World Economic Forum, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and the BVRLA.

Novuna Vehicle Solutions is also up for the award, in appreciation of its track record of maintaining an 100 per cent vehicle compliance rate and ensuring 99.6 per cent vehicle availability rate. Novuna’s fleet has experienced impressive growth, expanding by an impressive 46 per cent over the past five years. Its extensive fleet, comprising over 100,000 assets, allows it to provide comprehensive fleet solutions, regardless of the mix of specialist and commercial vehicles.
    
Tusker meanwhile makes the shortlist for its commitment to reducing the impact on the environment and now not only offsets the emissions of its cars, but also charging emissions. Tusker consistently encourages the adoption of electric and lower emitting vehicles where appropriate. The company has gone from three per cent EV to 80 per cent EV in less than three years.
    
The final company on the shortlist is Arval UK, recognised for providing sustainable mobility solutions. The company pledges that a tree will be planted for every new electrified vehicle it leases. In the UK, the initiative has so far seen more than 41,000 trees planted.

Mobility Provider of the Year

Mobility Provider of the Year recognises efforts to reduce the environmental impact of business travel with innovative measures such as zero-emission vehicles, car clubs, car sharing, flexible rental and leasing, as well as the promotion of public transport and active travel.
    
AX has made the shortlist for the award, for its focus on green mobility. AX has pioneered the concept of an EV-for-EV guarantee following an accident, this ensures that an EV driver doesn’t need to compromise. To this end, AX has made significant investments in electrifying its fleet, resulting in a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. It has also invested hundreds of thousands of pounds in infrastructure to cater for these vehicles, including charge points.
    
Europcar Mobility Group UK has made the shortlist for its commitment to supporting sustainability across business mobility.

Its strong manufacturer partnerships have enabled Europcar to continually upgrade the quality and sustainability of its fleet. Over 1,000 fully electric and a further nearly 600 plug-in hybrids are already available to all customer types at reservation. Setting the right example, 86 per cent of Europcar’s own company car vehicle orders in the past 24 months have been for fully electric and plug-in hybrid. Europcar was also the first UK rental operator to partner with Zapmap, providing a UK-wide map of electric charging points to help drivers, and a journey cost calculator to help compare the savings of switching to electric.

Another contender for Mobility Provider of the Year is Co Wheels for its community-based alternative to car ownership offering low emission, hybrid and fully electric vehicles across 60 locations around the UK. Co Wheels operates over 500 electric, hybrid and fuel-efficient petrol cars across England, Scotland and Wales. Its Corporate Fleet Management Car Sharing solution provides a fresh alternative to grey fleet, pool cars and ad-hoc rental vehicles, proven to reduce fleet mobility costs for private organisations.
    
Hiyacar has also been shortlisted for the award, in recognition of its versatile vehicle sharing platform. It is the only CoMoUK accredited car club operator allowing both P2P car sharing (Airbnb for cars) and traditional return to base car clubs on the same platform. It is currently allowing 33,000 verified drivers share 2,600 live vehicles. Hiyacar also provides Car Club Solutions for new developments, pool car fleet management systems for NHS Trusts, as well as for local authorities.
        
ElectriX powered by LV= General Insurance has made the shortlist for its one-stop shop offering drivers everything they need to get on the road with an electric car – from leasing a vehicle, through to buying a home charger and getting electric car insurance.

Alternative Fuel Provider of the Year

CNG Fuels has made the shortlist for the Alternative Fuel Provider of the year. The company has recently acquired a majority stake in Renewable Transport Fuel Services (RTFS), the largest renewable biomethane sourcing company for UK transport. A new holding company, ReFuels has been established. ReFuels combines CNG Fuels’ rapidly growing UK network of public access Bio-CNG refuelling stations with RTFS’s upstream biomethane sourcing activities to create one of Europe’s largest fully integrated renewable biomethane suppliers for heavy transport. ReFuels has recently opened its 13th low-carbon refuelling station – the first station of its kind to open in Wales. The new site, with 12 pumps capable of refuelling over 500 HGVs daily and cutting over 60,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.
    
Element 2 is also on the shortlist in recognition of its work making hydrogen accessible for more companies. It is constructing a new, high-volume hydrogen refuelling station at Teesside International Airport, which will see the development of a large-scale hydrogen refuelling station at the airport.
    
Also gracing the shortlist is bio-LNG supplier Gasrec, which is undertaking a considerable expansion over the next few years, with three new refuelling locations to open before the end of Q1 2024. Earlier this year, the business reported an all-time sales spike for biomethane across the road transport sector, a trend which is expected continue.

Fuel Cell Systems has made the shortlist, celebrating the work it does designing, building and supporting electrolyser systems for hydrogen production and storage.  For refuelling, it can deliver everything from an emergency-fill mini-dispenser to a fully plumbed-in static station.  
    
Certas Energy also makes the shortlist for its work supplying HVO – a drop-in alternative diesel made from renewable raw materials and sustainable waste from verified vegetable fats and oils. Certas Energy is a Recognised Fuel Supplier under Zemo’s Renewable Fuels Assurance Scheme and is providing assistance to Royal Mail with its roll-out of HVO for its HGVs.

Public & On-street Charging Provider of the Year

New for this year, the Public & On-street Charging Provider of the Year award recognises the the company that can demonstrate excellence in its customer satisfaction and reliability rates, as well as its efforts to tackle challenges to EV adoption through its public charging solutions.
    
On the shortlist is Mer, which has installed over 350 public charge points, which have enabled 32 million EV miles. Mer is building hubs with multiple charge points to increase availability and reliability of EV charging for drivers. It supports commercial landowners as they install EV charging at retail parks, leisure and hospitality businesses, garden centres, and commercial properties.
    
Char.gy has been shortlisted in recognition of its work helping the 40 per cent of UK homes without a private driveway with suitable EV charging. Char.gy has introduced a market leading day/night tariff to keep public charging affordable, and has delivered record reliability for an on-street network of over 98.5 per cent.
    
SWARCO Smart Charging is up for the award for the operation of the largest public charging network in Scotland, ChargePlace Scotland. With thousands of charging points strategically placed throughout Scotland, the company has ensured that drivers have convenient access to a reliable network, with the support from the Scottish Government. Transport for Wales also selected SWARCO Smart Charging to provide essential EV charging infrastructure.
    
GRIDSERVE has also made the shortlist for its GRIDSERVE Electric Highway network of sustainably-powered EV chargepoints, covering 85 per cent of the UK’s motorways. The network has chargers at over 170 locations delivering over 10 million miles of range into the UK’s electric vehicles each month, including 28 Electric Super Hubs and two innovative Electric Forecourts®.
    
Qwello has also made the shortlist. Launched in late 2022, the company has already installed 50 charging stations in The City of London near iconic locations such as the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral, Smithfield Market and The Barbican. It has also recently won contracts with Essex CC, the Metropolitan District of Solihull, and East Lothian, meaning by mid-2024 Qwello will have at least 300 more contactless cable attached 22kW AC on-street charge points installed.

Fleet & Workplace Charging Provider of the year

Also new for this year, the Fleet & Workplace Charging Provider of the year award recognises companies that can demonstrate successful charging installations and a willingness to go above-and-beyond to help customers with their on-site infrastructure requirements.
    
Novuna Vehicle Solutions has made the shortlist for its comprehensive charging E
F solutions that cover all aspects, from sourcing to installation, and charge point management for a wide range of vehicles, ensuring accessibility, efficiency, and sustainability.  One of its standout achievements is Novuna’s Trowbridge Charging Forecourt. This exemplar facility showcases innovative energy management practices. At the core of this facility lies the integration of a solar carport with a 180kWh battery storage system.
    
SWARCO Smart Charging’s Fleet Charging Division is also up for the award, recognised for its comprehensive EV fleet charging solutions, encompassing consultation, design, installation, management, and maintenance of tailored charging points. It prioritises lower total ownership and charging costs through high-efficiency, low THD chargers. With a dedicated team of over 70 support and engineering experts, Swarco Smart Charging maintains an impressive 99 per cent charge point uptime, often achieving a four-hour SLA across mainland UK.
    
Also up for the award is ChargedEV, which has has demonstrated exceptional growth and achievements in the past year. Notable projects include a major installation for North Tyneside Council, involving 66 chargers at a single location.
    
Vital EV Solutions is another contender in the fleet charging category. As experienced electric vehicle charger installation experts, and specialists in high-power, fast-charging DC truck and LCV solutions, this year marks its biggest and best ever for service development, growth, and customer feedback. Since foundation in 2019, Vital has seen an average 400 per cent YoY growth – 437 per cent in the last year alone. This is derived from 1,129 successful charger installations for 106 clients.
    
Plug Me In graces the shortlist, in recognition of its provision of an innovative, hassle-free solution for businesses taking steps to electrify their fleet. While it has historically offered funding support for businesses, the vision was to go further and create a comprehensive solution covering all elements of the EV charging process, from planning, survey and installation; to workplace, home and on-the-go charging; and financial support.
    
Also up for the award is Mer UK’s fleet and workplace division, which designs bespoke, end-to-end, reliable EV charging solutions for businesses across the UK. To support IKEA’s stated aim of reaching 100 per cent zero emission deliveries by 2025, Mer enabled IKEA to make one of the biggest EV charging infrastructure investments for last-mile deliveries in the UK to date. The charging points will be available for all EVs making home deliveries across the UK and Ireland for IKEA. Other Mer clients include The AA, NTW Solutions, Kings College London, Medequip, University of Bristol, Costain, Tarmac, Stapletons, Scottish Water, Asda, Breezemount, Close Brothers, and Dawson Group.
    
ElectrAsssure also makes the shortlist for its excellence at meeting customer expectations. ElectrAssure constantly reviews the ever-changing market to ensure it offers its customers the best suited charging hardware and software for their requirements. Once a high-quality installation has been delivered, ElectrAssure provides ongoing service and maintenance to ensure customers fleets are fully operational and constantly achieve uptime of over 99 per cent.
    
The final company on the shortlist is Ohme, which provides chargers that make a difference as they are energy agnostic, work with any energy provider and also any tariff. Ohme chargers are the only EV chargers that work with Octopus Intelligent, the cheapest off-peak electricity tariff in the UK.

HGV Manufacturer of the Year Award

DAF Trucks has been shortlisted for HGV Manufacturer of the Year Award for its new generation DAF XD and XF Electric which has a WLTP range of over 310 miles. DAF’s e-trucks are also embedded in UK fleets, with the Asset Alliance Group placing an order for 1,500 new models – including at least 75 e-HGVs. What’s more, a DAF LF Electric was driven by Team DAF-Cenex in GREENFLEET’s 2023 EV Rally, with the truck seconded from the UK’s Battery Electric Truck Trial (BETT).
    
IVECO also makes the shortlist, in recognition of its natural gas trucks, as well as plans to produce a heavy-duty battery electric vehicle and heavy-duty fuel cell electric vehicle under its own brand. Away from electrified trucks, German supermarket EDEKA Minden-Hannover has announced plans to replace its diesel fleet of 700 vehicles with IVECO S-WAY LNG trucks to meet its goal of a complete low-CO2 vehicle fleet by 2025. The firm has already ordered 275 S-WAY LNG trucks in 2022 and 2023; these join 80 IVECO LNG trucks already in service.
    
GREENFLEET’s reigning HGV Manufacturer of the Year, Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK makes the shortlist again this year. As the sales and marketing organisation responsible for Daimler Truck products in the UK, Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK offers electric trucks spanning 4.25 to 44-tonnes. In 2023, the company successfully completed the GreenFleet EV Rally in the 27-tonne eActros 400 6x2. On day one, the eActros was the only vehicle which didn’t need to stop to charge, the truck travelling 325 miles from Cardiff to Nottingham, with 12 per cent SoC left, thanks to its efficient eAxle.
    
Renault Trucks makes the shortlist for its E-Tech family of electric trucks, which will be supplied to two consortiums selected to receive funding as part of the UK Government’s £200m Zero Emissions Road Freight Demonstration Programme. Operators adding Renault e-HGVs to fleets in 2023 include the Ashcroft Group and Welch’s Transport, while Tarmac has trialled the UK’s first all-electric concrete mixer.
    
Also contending for the HGV Manufacturer of the Year title is Scania. In March it delivered a 66-tonne, 300kWh, three-axle P 45 e-HGV to the Verdalskalk limestone quarry in Norway, while another Scania electric truck arrived with the Shoprite Group in South Africa. The world’s first all-electric car transporter – a Scania P 25 230kWh – has also been introduced by German logistics specialist ARS Altmann Automobillogistik.
    
Volvo Truck also makes the shortlist for its gas‑powered Volvo FH and FM models and for being the only truck manufacturer in the UK to offer a complete all-electric line-up from 16.7 to 46 tonnes. Continuing to explore hydrogen mobility, Volvo also completed the first public test of its fuel cell EV truck technology in 2023.

LCV Manufacturer of the Year Award

IVECO has been shortlisted in the LCV Manufacturer of the Year category, in recognition of its new eDaily which offers class-leading advantages in towing capability and battery options due to a modular battery set-up.  A choice of one (37kWh), two (74kWh) or three (111kWh) batteries means an operator can add or remove batteries or swap a unit between vehicles should a vehicle mission change. Official WLTP combined cycle ranges start at 64 miles for the 3.5t, 37kWh single-battery model, through to 186 miles for the 111kWh, three-battery 4.25t variant.
    
MAXUS, distributed by Harris Automotive Distributors in the UK and Ireland, makes the shortlist for its launch of new zero-emission commercial vehicles, including the all-electric eDELIVER 3 and eDELIVER 9 vans, and most recently, the eDELIVER 7, which targets the 1-tonne payload van sector in the UK.
    
Mercedes-Benz Vans UK has also been recognised in this category, for its range of e-LCVs. Fleet deals have included entertainment and media company Sky which has purchased 66kWh-battery eVitos for its service vehicle fleet, with further examples of the e-LCV added  to the operations of Head-on Electrical, healthy food and lifestyle venture The Key, and Topspeed Couriers.
    
Also shortlisted is Vauxhall, which remains the UK’s best-selling e-LCV manufacturer in 2023. The mid-sized Vivaro Electric again leads the market, with the compact Combo Electric occupying third place. As of October 2023, nearly one-third (31.7 per cent) of e-LCVs sold in the UK so far in 2023 is a Vauxhall, and the brand is popular with the fleet and private sectors.
    
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has made the shortlist for its retro-styled ID Buzz and its ID Buzz Cargo stablemate. With looks that hark back to the Type 2 which first appeared in 1950, the commercial version of the new star VW enjoyed a full order book of over 26,000 units at the end of 2022. Miele in Germany has taken one of the first fleet orders, continuing a partnership which dates back to those first T2s of 70 years ago, while the company’s UK arm took delivery of its liveried and specially customised ID Buzz Cargos in May 2023. The ID Buzz Cargo has also joined the fleet of UK luxury tea manufacturer Ringtons.
    
Also a contender for the award is Renault Pro+, which has enjoyed a successful 2023. The latest version of the compact Kangoo E-Tech Electric has won numerous industry awards. Capable of carrying up to 4.2m3 of load volume and up to 1,000kg of payload, the electric LCV has a WLTP range of 143 miles and is a well-regarded nameplate in the electric LCV sector.

Fleet Car Manufacturer of the Year Award

BMW is in the running for the Fleet Car Manufacturer of the Year Award in recognition of its broad range of models that are successful in the fleet market, including the X1, 3 Series, i4 and 5 Series. The all-electric i4 strikes at the heartland of the fleet market, and this year a new entry level i4 eDrive 35 model has been launched, the 210kW, 299-mile range saloon adding more fleet appeal.
    
Finalist Hyundai is celebrated for being the fourth biggest seller of alternatively fuelled vehicles in the UK. Hyundai Motor UK’s business division has also been the recipient of a number of fleet wins, helping claim a market share of 4.88 per cent in the first half of the year. The notable major orders of more than 100 cars have come from building materials supplier Nicholls & Clarke, textile rental company Johnson Supplier Group as well as a landmark deal with Michelin to provide the tyre manufacturer’s UK division with its first-ever electric vehicles.
    
Kia UK graces the shortlist for reaching an impressive milestone of 50,000 electric vehicle sales in 2023, with the Niro EV and EV6 charting in the UK’s top 10 most popular EVs. In September 2023, Kia UK recorded the most EV sales it has ever achieved in a single month, with 2,972 units sold, beating the previous record set a year earlier by more than 500 units.
    
Last year MG Motor won the hotly contested EV Manufacturer of the Year title, and this year the company makes the shortlist for the Fleet Car Manufacturer of the Year Award. In April 2023, the company announced record first quarter results, and saw itself positioned as the second-best selling electric car manufacturer in the UK. Over 12,000 cars were delivered in March, with the MG4 EV named as the UK’s second best-selling electric car up to April.
    
Peugeot makes the shortlist, in recognition of its e-208, which is popular with fleets. The e-208 now has even more striking looks, a new 115kW motor and a 51kWh battery with a WLTP all-electric range of up to 248 miles. The e-208’s e-2008 crossover sister has also benefitted from similar improvements, its 54kWh battery giving it an all-electric single charge range of up to 251 miles.
    
Vauxhall has been shortlisted for its all-electric models which are beloved by many fleet drivers. Mirroring the success of its electric light commercials, the Corsa Electric supermini and the Mokka Electric small crossover have both dominated their respective markets in terms of registrations, with both models sitting proudly at the top of their segments for 2023 up to October.
    
Also up for the award is Mercedes-Benz, in recognition of its all-electric EQ family of cars, which now numbers eight models, beginning with the EQA compact SUV, and ending with the EQV MPV. The model that forms part of the heart of Mercedes’ fleet offering has also been refreshed. The brand-new E-Class family features three fourth-generation plug-in hybrids, all able to travel up to 62 miles on all-electric power.
    
Volkswagen also hopes to be crowned Fleet Car Manufacturer of the Year. The ID EV family has been rolled out by Volkswagen in a seemingly never-ending pace since 2019, and big news stories during 2023 have been the launch of an updated version of its all-electric hatchback, the ID 3, revisions to its ID 4 and ID 5 crossovers, and the announcement of the production version of its  ID 7 ‘saloon’.  

Electric Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year Award

BMW has also made the shortlist for the Electric Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year Award. Following an increase in sales of fully electric vehicles to 215,755 units (+107.7 per cent) in 2022, the launch of the all-electric i5, which can travel up to 356 miles on a single charge, tops the German brand’s achievements for 2023. Continuing its fleet focus, the new entry level i4 eDrive 35 has been launched, as well as the the iX1 eDrive20, which replaces BMW’s trailblazing i3.
    
MAXUS also graces the shortlist for its full range of premium EVs including the award-winning flagship eDELIVER 3 and eDELIVER 9 electric vans, and most recently the eDELIVER 7, which targets the UK’s 1-tonne payload van sector. In 2022, MAXUS also introduced the T90 EV, the UK’s first electric pickup, as well an all-electric MPV, the MIFA 9, bringing the brand to a new customer base.
    
Also up for the accolade is Kia, which has now reached its 50,000-unit electric sales milestone (July 2023), with the Niro EV and EV6 charting in the UK’s top 10 most popular EVs. In September 2023, the brand recorded the most EV sales it has ever achieved in a single month, with 2,972 units finding homes, beating the previous record set a year earlier by more than 500 units.
    
Peugeot also makes the list for its eight electric models, from the e-208 supermini and e308 hatchback, up to the e-Rifter and e-Traveller people carriers.
    
Vauxhall joins the other contenders in the EV manufacturer category, in recognition of its electric automotive and light commercial  vehicles performing well. The brand’s Vivaro Electric has proved incredibly popular with fleets - up to October 2023, the model has been the UK’s most popular electric light commercial, with the smaller Combo Electric sitting just two places below it.
    
Volvo Trucks has made the shortlist for its commitment to sustainable solutions, with the manufacturer working towards 100 per cent of its trucks being fossil-free by 2040 and 70 per cent of its European sales being electric by 2030. It is the only truck manufacturer in the UK to offer a complete all-electric line-up from 16.7 to 46 tonnes, with its portfolio including the FH, FM, FMX  FE and FL Electric.
    
Mercedes-Benz meanwhile makes the shortlist in recognition for its fully electric EQ family of cars that now spans eight models.

GREENFLEET Vehicle of the Year

The Vehicle of the Year award goes to GREENFLEET’s choice of the most impressive zero-emission vehicle, in terms of range, technology, design, and charging capabilities. Competing for this prestigious accolade are BMW i5,  BYD Dolphin,  Maxus T90EV, Iveco eDaily, Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK eActros 600,  and the Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo.

GREENFLEET Award for Industry Innovation

The UK’s first fully electric mixer, conducted in partnership with TVS Interfleet (TVSI), Tarmac and Renault Trucks, has made the shortlist for the GREENFLEET Award for Industry Innovation. TVSI took the opportunity to challenge every element of the conventional mixer design, its interaction with the vehicle chassis and its operation. The new e-mixer has no less than seven new patents.  Following a three month trial, the e-mixer has already saved over five tonnes of CO2 from being released.
    
Hydrogen Vehicle Systems’s HGV is also up for the industry innovation award, which is powered by a state-of-the-art fuel cell stack that distinguishes it from traditional battery-electric alternatives. It boasts a class-leading range of 370 miles, setting a new standard for hydrogen commercial transportation in the UK. HVS’s modularity and technology-agnostic approach ensure that their vehicles do not need to be replaced as frequently. This not only reduces waste but also lowers the total cost of ownership (TCO) for vehicle operators.
    
Cenex meanwhile is recognised for its work on the UK’s first electric taxi wireless charging demonstrator (WICET) which showcased both LEVC and Nissan eNV200 taxis wirelessly charging on a taxi rank at Nottingham station whilst waiting for customers. Cenex is also recognised for its work on Vehicle 2 Grid technology over the last eight years.
    
Prohire makes the shortlist after its alternative fuels division, ProGreen, developed a bespoke, all-electric van for Savona Foodservice using a Maxus eDeliver 9 chassis. The company embarked on an ambitious journey to design a van that would maintain precise temperature control, whilst carrying the required payload, ensuring the integrity of perishable goods while operating solely on electric power.
    
Also up for the award is Allstar for its Chargepass solution which makes paying for fuel and EV charging simpler at home and on the road. Allstar Chargepass is made possible, following the acquisition of Mina by Allstar’s parent company Fleetcor. The solution eliminates the need for separate cards and suppliers, offering customers a single invoice.
    
Dundee City Council meanwhile is recognised for the 4th Hub at Clepington Road, which consist of four x 50kW and one x 150kW charging units, accessible bays, a Bluewater renewable drinking water solution, solar canopies and a shared 300kW battery storage set up, contactless payment facilities, picnic area, local amenities, and appropriate signage.  
    
The GREENFLEET Award for Outstanding Achievement, along with the EV Champions – which recognise individuals that champion electric vehicles, do not have a shortlist and will be announced on the night.
    
Congratulations to all those on the shortlist.