Can you give us details about the history of Equans?
Equans is a young brand with 200 years of experience. We have entities present in 17 countries, each with its own history and excellence but they all have one thing in common: we have always been there to help communities and companies make progress in historic transitions; we have created and implemented the most innovative technologies. Today, as in the past, we are determined and proud to help our customers do the same, in their energy, industrial and digital transitions.
What role can the commercial vehicle sector play in decarbonising transport?
We’ve seen a positive shift in EV registrations within the commercial vehicle sector, however, there is still significant growth needed. Organisations play an integral role in decarbonising transport as they have the ability to drive large scale change and set the standard within their industry. The benefits of switching to EV, such as lower total cost of ownership and their sustainability credentials seem to be understood by most, however, we’ve found that hesitancy typically comes from uncertainty around how to form a long-term EV transition plan. That’s why at Equans, we offer an end-to-end consultancy service that provides organisations with a scalable charging solution. This includes helping them to build their business case and developing a tailored EV programme, through to a full turnkey installation and ongoing charge point management via our GeniePoint platform.
As part of a wider business with deep expertise in energy management, we see EV as one element within a broader net-zero solution. With Equans’ energy services, we can provide innovative solutions to help make EV more cost effective and sustainable, such as installing solar panels and battery storage, so energy captured through the day can be stored within a battery and used to recharge vehicles overnight. We want to help businesses drive change by giving them the support and guidance to do so.
Tell us about your partnership with Ford: does this include drivers of the e-Transit?
Earlier this year we entered a partnership with Ford to provide Ford electric vehicle drivers with access to the national GeniePoint network. This means that Ford EV drivers can use the FordPass app to monitor and pay for charging at over 500 rapid GeniePoint chargers, providing Ford drivers with further choice and convenience when charging. Access to the FordPass app is available to all retail customers, and to corporate E-Transit drivers too.
Can you give us more information about your partnership with the Bonnet app?
We’ve partnered with a number of charge point aggregators this year, including Bonnet. The reason we are focusing on interoperability is because we’re all about ensuring that we offer convenience and ease of service for our drivers. Through our partnership with Bonnet, we’re able to give Bonnet App users access to over 900 public GeniePoint chargers nationwide, allowing drivers to charge their vehicles when it’s convenient to them, from within the Bonnet App. It’s one of the many ways our customers can charge on the GeniePoint network, offering true flexibility.
Another way we offer flexibility is through pricing – in November we launched GenieFlex, our new, innovative varied pricing tariff offering lower rates off-peak. Giving EV drivers choice and flexibility when charging is something we see as crucial to encouraging EV adoption.
Dee Humphries, Equans EV Solutions Director
