Multi-national companies back The Climate Group's EV100 campaign

An international business campaign designed to fast-track the uptake of electric vehicles (EV) and infrastructure was launched by The Climate Group in New York, as business and government leaders gather at Climate Week NYC.

Baidu, Deutsche Post DHL Group, Heathrow Airport, HP Inc., IKEA Group, LeasePlan, METRO AG, PG&E, Unilever and Vattenfall were the 10 first members of EV100, the only initiative of its kind to encourage global business commitments on electric transport, with members swapping their large diesel/petrol vehicle fleets to electric vehicle fleets and/or installing electric battery charging infrastructure by 2030.

By setting out their future EV purchasing requirements on an ambitions timescale, these big purchasers can drive mass roll-out, reduce costs, and make electric cars more rapidly affordable for everyone around the world.

The Climate Group is an international non-profit whose stated goal is to create a prosperous, low carbon future. Helen Clarkson, chief executive of The Climate Group, said: “We want to make electric transport the new normal. There are two fundamental problems to be addressed. Transport is still the fastest growing area of carbon emissions, as the shift to electric vehicles is not happening fast enough; and mass system change, even with Government intervention, needs much greater customer demand.

“EV100 will use companies’ collective global buying power and influence on employees and customers to build demand and cut costs. The members being announced today see the business logic in leading a faster transition and addressing local air quality issues in their markets. They are setting a competitive challenge to the auto industry to deliver more EVs, sooner and at lower cost.”

Companies joining EV100 make a public commitment to fast-track EV uptake in one or more of the following four commitment areas by 2030:

1. Integrating electric vehicles directly into owned or leased corporate fleets
2. Placing requirements in service contracts for electric vehicle usage
3. Supporting staff to use electric vehicles (by installing workplace charging infrastructure)
4. Supporting electric vehicle uptake by customers (by installing customer charging infrastructure)

Unilever and Heathrow Airport have pledged comprehensive action as part of their corporate sustainability plans.

The Chinese tech giant Baidu is urging other Chinese companies to join EV100. Wang Lu, vice president, Baidu said: “As one of the world’s leading IT companies, we are inspired to create a better future for all through technology innovation, and are committed to sustainability across our business operations. We have already made significant progress in promoting low carbon electro-mobility.” 

Pia Heidenmark-Cook, acting chief scientific officer, IKEA Group, said: “IKEA Group wants to show that a transition to electric vehicles is possible, bringing benefits for both the global climate and the local environment around our stores.”

International leasing company LeasePlan said it is committing to transition its own fleets as well as those of its customers as part of its ambition to achieve net zero emissions from the corporate automotive sector by 2030. Tex Gunning, chief executive of LeasePlan, said: “LeasePlan’s own employee fleet will be going electric, making us the first major leasing company to make the switch. Our ambition is for all employees to be driving electric cars by 2021. Over half the cars on the road today belong to companies. Making the transition to an electric fleet is one of the easiest ways for businesses to help tackle climate change.”

Deutsche Post DHL Group and the Swedish power company Vattenfall are also signing up to EV100 to build upon their ambitious electro-mobility targets. Vattenfall is working to transition its corporate fleet to EVs over the next five years while Deutsche Post DHL Group has invested in its own vehicle manufacturer StreetScooter to supply specialised postal vans for its operations.

Magnus Hall, chief executive of Vattenfall, said: “Climate change is one of our biggest challenges so we are very happy to join the EV100 initiative. Replacing our whole 3,500 car fleet with EV in the coming five years, working with our customers to deploy charging infrastructure, and building northern Europe’s biggest connected charging network, are three examples of actions we are taking to promote a sustainable and climate smarter living for customers and citizens.”

HP Inc. has committed to roll out its workplace charging scheme internationally. US utility PG&E has committed to expand its engagement both on staff and customer charging. German retailer METRO AG has also committed to supporting EV charging for their staff and consumers, benefitting the public as well as their business.