Centrica introduces solar panel powered vans

^{Image credit: Matt Reeve, managing director of Genie Insights (left), with Centrica fleet engineering and innovation manager, Matt Harris (right).}

Centrica has teamed up with fleet technology specialist, Genie Insights, to have solar panels fitted to the roof of its electric vans.

It is hoped this will address a major challenge faced by EV fleets nationwide: known as “bricking”. 

This problem occurs when the 12-volt auxiliary battery, which powers essential functions like central locking, fails - leaving the vehicle completely inoperable.

The solar panels provide a trickle charge to the 12-volt batteries, keeping them operational even during periods of inactivity, or when a so-called “parasitic draw” is being taken by telematics or other ancillary equipment.
 
These panels, constructed using CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide) technology, are lightweight, flexible and durable, making them ideal for commercial vehicle applications.  They are also the only CIGS panels to be manufactured in the UK and the panel for this application has been specifically designed, tested and proven to generate the optimal voltage to maintain the battery's charge.

They are rolling out this cost-effective solution across 2,500 electric vans in its fleet.

Centrica director of fleet, Rob Simister, said: “Vehicle downtime is bad for business, and it’s bad for our customers. We had to find a solution quickly so that we can make sure our engineers can get to our customers exactly when we’re needed most.”