Intelligent Electrification: VEV and Whitespace Unite to Accelerate Green Council Fleets Using Data Insights

Over 300 UK councils have declared climate emergencies in recent years and refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) are amongst the largest carbon emitters on UK roads today – up to 600g CO₂ per kilometre when fully laden.
Evidence-based electrification decisions drive the smooth, cost-effective transition of council vehicles from carbon-emitting diesel to electric vehicles (EVs).
Whitespace specialises in waste management software solutions to improve business processes for local authorities and public-sector contractors in the UK.
VEV offers turnkey fleet electrification from design to build to live operations, with a powerful software platform, VEV-IQ, that translates complex fleet data into electrification solutions that include power requirements and charging infrastructure.
Without proper data analysis and planning, EV transitions risk expensive mistakes and miscalculations, including over-specification of energy demand and charging infrastructure.
The combination of EV fleet expertise from VEV, and waste management software from Whitespace, optimises the transition to EVs for councils and contractors.
VEV previously announced it was working with public service provider, Serco, and RVS, the independent refuse vehicle solution supplier, to deliver a pilot scheme for electric recycling and waste collection vehicles in Hampshire.
High-resolution images can be downloaded here.

London, UK (April 17, 2024) – VEV, a leading provider of end-to-end fleet electrification solutions, and Whitespace, a prominent software solutions provider for waste collection operations, are urging UK councils to leverage data analysis to achieve cost-effective transition of refuse collection vehicles to electric power.

With over 300 UK councils having declared climate emergencies in recent years according to the Local Government Association, electrification of carbon-intensive fleets is critical. However, without robust data analysis, complex EV transitions risk expensive mistakes or miscalculations.

By using telematics and energy data at the planning stage to assess critical factors such as vehicle routes and schedules, along with the increased energy requirement for EVs, fleets can design a bespoke, accurate EV configuration around the right mix of vehicles, chargers and energy sources.

Last year, some local government electric vehicle programmes were criticised for lacking adequate charging solutions for their new electric fleets. Equally, mistakes are being made with fleets overestimating the charging infrastructure and power demand for their new EV fleet. VEV’s research shows that without robust and informed data analysis, fleets can over-invest by up to 20% when first making the transition to electric vehicles.

Refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) are heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and are arguably amongst the largest carbon emitters on UK roads – up to 600g CO₂ per kilometre when fully laden. This makes them a prime target for local authorities working hard to meet challenging net-zero targets.

VEV is currently working with public service provider, Serco, and RVS, the independent refuse vehicle solution supplier, to deliver a pilot scheme for electric recycling and waste collection vehicles (eRCVs) in Hampshire. The pilot scheme will prove the operational feasibility and business case for eRCVs in Basingstoke and Deane, Hart, and Rushmoor.

Mike Nakrani, CEO of VEV said:

“Whilst petrol or diesel powered RCVs are efficient at collecting and transporting waste, we must also prioritise leaving behind clean air in the communities that they serve. As part of our work supporting commercial fleets as they electrify, VEV is committed to driving sustainable change with councils as they strive for net zero commitments and smart spending of taxpayers’ money. Every fleet needs a different approach to electrification because every fleet is unique. And data-led planning enables bespoke configuration based on real fleet duty cycles and routes. There’s still time to get it right, and we believe the combination of VEV and Whitespace provides the expert support councils and waste contractors need to make the move to EVs. ”

Mark Garvey, CEO of Whitespace said:

“At Whitespace, we understand the pivotal role software optimisation plays in enhancing waste collection operations. By uniting with VEV to emphasise the significance of data-driven approaches for the electrification of council fleets we hope to empower local authorities to make more informed decisions, benefitting both the environment and operational efficiency.”

For media inquiries or further information, please contact Media@vev.com. VEV’s media kit is available here, with a video demonstrating the VEV-IQ platform here.

About VEV

VEV helps organisations deliver on their carbon reduction ambitions with an end-to-end fleet electrification solution that integrates across vehicles, charging infrastructure and power. VEV is owned by Vitol, a world leader in energy, which to date has committed circa $2 billion to sustainable energy initiatives worldwide.

VEV navigates the complexities of EV transformation to design and implement cost-effective EV fleets optimised for specific fleet requirements. It supports EV fleet operations to guarantee resilience and keep mission-critical fleets running at scale. Bespoke, scalable business solutions are designed around the customer’s own fleet data analysed by a powerful assessment tool, VEV-IQ, and VEV’s experts in energy and sustainable e-mobility. VEV sets businesses up for success in an electrified future.

More information at VEV.com

About Whitespace

Whitespace was founded in 2005 and has since become the market leader in the supply of waste and environmental software solutions to both local authorities and public-sector contractors.

Its mission is to support our clients to achieve efficient waste management procedures through innovative software solutions, providing benefits to their teams and the local communities.

With an established track record, its extensive product portfolio is currently installed in over 100 UK local authority operations and over 10 public sector contractors covering waste collection and disposal, environmental services, contract management and private financial initiatives.

Whitespace aims to forge long-term trusting relationships, with a passion for increasing quality and customer service at all times to help drive our customer’s operations forward.

More information at https://whitespacews.com/