Big Organizations Commit To Electrification Through EV100 Campaign

Ten large multinational organizations are combining to form EV100, an initiative designed to fast-track the uptake of electric vehicles (EV) and infrastructure.

Baidu, Deutsche Post DHL Group, Heathrow Airport, HP Inc., IKEA Group, Lease Plan, Metro AG, PG&E, Unilever and Vattenfall are the first members of the EV100 group who will encourage global business commitments on electric transport, with members swapping their diesel and petrol fleets to electric vehicle fleets and installing electric battery charging infrastructure by 2030.

“EV100 will use companies’ collective global buying power and influence on employees and customers to build demand and cut costs,” said Helen Clarkson, CEO of the Climate Group, an international nonprofit organization focused on reducing carbon use. “The members 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 a lower cost.”

Companies joining EV 100 make a public commitment to fast-track EV uptake in one or more of the following for areas of commitment by 2030:

• Integrating electric vehicles directly into owned or leased corporate fleets.
• Placing requirements in service contracts for electric vehicle usage.
• Supporting staff to use electric vehicles (by installing workplace charging infrastructure).
• Supporting electric vehicle update by customers (by installing workplace charging infrastructure).

The commitments by the organizations to meet the 2030 deadline include:
• LeasePlan said it will be the first major leasing company to make the switch to electric, with a goal for all employees to be driving electric cars by 2021.
• Swedish power company Vattenfall set a goal of transitioning its fleet of 3500 cars to EVs over the next five years.