Amazon installs more than 800 EV chargers at UK sites

EO Charging is providing the hardware

In a blog post published today (16 April), Amazon revealed how a partnership with EO Charging had seen 800 EV chargers installed across its UK sites. According to Amazon, “hundreds more” are set to be installed at future dates.

Amazon Logistics’ EU Director Nic Fyfe said: “Sustainability and our climate pledge goals are so important for the future of our last mile operation. Businesses big and small have played a key role in helping us transform our infrastructure. EO is one of them.”

E-commerce giant Amazon pledged to reach net-zero carbon emissions across its operations by 2040, after its staff lobbied for the firm to take more bold action on climate change.

As a first step, the company has committed to order 100,000 fully electric delivery vehicles, the first 10,000 of which will be added to its global fleet by 2022. The remaining 90,000 vehicles will be phased in by 2030. 

The EV fleet will be powered by renewable energy. Amazon has committed to running on 100% renewables by 2025. Globally, Amazon has 91 renewable energy projects that have the capacity to generate more than 2,900 MW and deliver more than 7.5 million MWh of energy annually.

Last year, Mercedes-Benz confirmed it would provide more than 1,800 EVs to Amazon’s Delivery Service Partners, to assist with deliveries across the globe.

More than 1,200 eSprinters will be provided, with an additional 600 eVitos – a smaller zero-emission electric van – also incorporated into the fleet. The agreement makes Mercedes-Benz Amazon’s largest provider of low-carbon transportation.

EO Charging is providing the hardware, software and operational oversight for these chargers across the UK, with software and maintenance services provided for Amazon’s EU fleet.

In 2019, edie unveiled the inaugural members of its 30 Under 30 initiative – a group of bright and ambitious rising sustainability and energy stars from across the UK. EO Charging’s founder Charlie Jardine was named as a member of the class of 2019 and was also the winner of edie’s 2019 Rising Sustainability Award.

“For us, this collaboration has been an amazing opportunity,” Jardine said. “It has sustained our growth even during a pandemic, allowing us to continue hiring locally. But it will also offer us the chance to reinvest in our technology and continue innovating.

“This is just the beginning. With EVs, we truly have the opportunity to slow down climate change. Companies like Amazon are leading the way, and showing others what needs to be done.”

EVC’s mission

In related news, Brighton-based charging solutions provider EVC has unveiled a new “mission” to install 100,000 EV charge points in the next five years.

In recent years, an average of 7,000 EV charging points has been installed annually across the UK. But that rate will need to increase to 35,000 per year. That is according to a briefing from Policy Exchange, developed to help the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Department for BEIS to work with industry and local authorities to prepare for the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales.

Responding to the need to increase charging infrastructure quantity, EVC is aiming to install 100,000 by 2026. The company is supported by renewable energy investment group Oasthouse Ventures.

“We understand during these challenging economic times, businesses may have more pressing priorities. Through our funded investment we are able to offer organisations free solutions to help tackle the oncoming EV revolution, meet customer demand and make EV charge points one less thing to worry about,” EVC’s chief executive Nick Ballamy said.

Matt Mace