Network Rail has installed new charging points and is trialling a fleet of fully electric vans for use across its network with support from Novuna Vehicle Solutions.  

Jon Lawes, managing director of Novuna Vehicle Solutions

The work forms part of the organisation’s ‘Project Zero’ plans to electrify its entire fleet to meet Department for Transport decarbonisation targets by 2027.  

The 25 fully electric small vans are being added to Network Rail’s EV fleet on a trial and will operate across all of Network Rail’s multi-site depots. The vehicles are being funded on competitive vehicle leasing through Novuna Vehicle Solutions, which also used TCO modelling to show the cost benefits as well as the environmental benefits of switching.  

Network Rail is making use of Novuna Vehicle Solutions’ end-to-end decarbonisation solution, which helps fleets move to cleaner vehicles by assessing fleet challenges and creating bespoke transition plans, providing vehicle leasing, EV charging infrastructure and back-office management to provide remote diagnostics and enable ongoing maintenance, all of which is supporting the widespread adoption of EVs.  

The work on charging is already being spearheaded with Network Rail’s first dedicated EV charging facilities for its commercial road fleet at its Swindon and Bristol depots, enabling 24/7 mobilisation of engineers to perform on-site maintenance and repairs at locations across the rail network.  

Further installations will take place at designated sites in Cardiff, Derby, Doncaster, Glasgow, Newcastle, Sandwell & Dudley and Shrewsbury.  These follow Novuna’s comprehensive depot feasibility assessment, evaluating the electricity demand and consumption across each of the proposed sites ensuring the intended installation was viable.   

Willie Crawford, head of road fleet, Network Rail, said the work significantly enhances the organisation’s mobility capability to service the rail network through its expanding zero-emission fleet.  

“Building on our established working partnership, which has seen the delivery of an efficient and cost effective ‘one-stop shop’ solution provided by Novuna Vehicle Solutions for several years, these designated depot transformations are addressing our business requirements as we make the transition towards a fully EV fleet over the next five years.   

“Driving improved cost and environmental efficiencies across Network Rail through Project Zero is fundamental as we continue on our journey towards becoming a truly sustainable railway,” he continued.

The project runs alongside the existing £136m fleet management contract with Network Rail, which has seen Novuna Vehicle Solutions oversee the management of the organisation’s entire owned and leased road fleet, as well as sourcing and supplying over 3,000 lease vehicles since 2019.  

Jon Lawes, managing director, Novuna Vehicle Solutions, commented: “By working together to provide Network Rail with an end-to-end decarbonisation solution, we’re helping them to achieve their fleet electrification targets whilst building on our established relationship which has already seen Novuna Vehicle Solutions become a trusted total assets solutions mobility partner.”