GPSJ Autumn 2024 ONLINE - Flipbook - Page 27
EV & EV CHARGING
GPSJ
Believ acquires SMS Public EV Charging in
a new strategic partnership to accelerate the
adoption of electric vehicles
Combining energy infrastructure and EV charging experience for a better, faster infrastructure rollout
Charge point operator (CPO)
Believ has entered a strategic
partnership with energy
infrastructure business Smart
Metering Systems (SMS plc)
by acquiring SMS’ Public EV
Charging Business to further
accelerate the deployment
of publicly accessible
electric vehicle (EV) charging
infrastructure, encourage
the faster uptake of EVs and
ultimately deliver cleaner air
for all.
The partnership will continue to
draw on SMS’ extensive low-carbon
energy infrastructure experience in
metering, power network design,
delivery and energy services,
while also benefitting from Believ’s
wide-ranging and proven EV
charging capabilities. These include
charge point network deployment,
operation, maintenance, and
communications networking
(through delivery partner Virgin
Media O2).
Believ’s market-leading financial
backing, provided by Liberty
Global, world leader in converged
broadband, video and mobile
communications services, and
Zouk Capital, infrastructure fund
manager, ensures further longterm confidence to EV charging
site providers and makes this
partnership possible.
With SMS’ strong national
footprint and valued relationships
with landowners in retail, hospitality
and parking, the acquisition will
widen the reach of Believ’s best-inclass EV charging experience for EV
drivers and site providers.
Believ currently operates a rapidly
growing network of almost 1,700
charge points, offering all charging
speeds and using 100% renewable
energy across 547 UK locations.
The partnership will see 10
employees join the Believ team
to provide continuity of services
to SMS’ existing and prospective
customers, whilst SMS will continue
to provide related metering, delivery
and energy services. Believ will
open new offices in Wales and
Scotland as their footprint across
the United Kingdom grows.
Guy Bartlett, Believ CEO, says
both companies recognise the
urgent need for a faster charge
point rollout: “This partnership
answers this requirement by
combining the ideal skills and
expertise to accelerate the scale
and pace of the UK’s infrastructure
deployment. And crucially, we are
well placed to deliver EV charging
infrastructure that is of the highest
possible standards.
“Would-be EV drivers need to see
more charge points, in the right
places and working brilliantly, to
make the switch. We’re now in an
even better position to deliver on
those requirements.”
Tim Mortlock, CEO at SMS, says
Believ’s, complementary capabilities
and established market presence
will make this a strong partnership:
“Believ’s significant backing make
it a reliable, long-term partner and
ideally placed to provide long-term
stability to all stakeholders. Its
wealth of specialist EV charging
experience evidenced by its UKwide network of reliable charge
points ideally complements our
own. By joining forces with Believ,
we can offer wider and better
services to customers across all
segments of the market”.
Believ and Waltham Forest lead the charge for
accessible charge point infrastructure
Two London boroughs will pilot charge points specifically designed for disabled residents
Charge point operator (CPO)
Believ and Waltham Forest
Council are joining forces to
bring more accessible electric
vehicle (EV) charge points
to hundreds of residents,
including disabled people,
across East London.
The East London Local Electric Vehicle
Infrastructure (LEVI) funded pilot, led
by Waltham Forest Council (along
with one other East London borough
council), is designed to support disabled
people who may find that impractical or
inaccessible charging bays are a barrier
to EV adoption.
The innovative project will see the
rollout of 120 fast (22kW) charge point
sockets across both London boroughs,
with 30% of support coming from Office
for Zero Emission Vehicles’ (OZEV) LEVI
Pilot scheme and the remaining 70%
funded by the CPO Believ.
The new charging bays have been
designed through a collaborative
workshop involving multiple
stakeholders, including representatives
from Motability Operations, the company
who deliver the Motability Scheme to
over 750,000 disabled people across
the UK, and a number of public and
private sector organisations. These
organisations have all worked together
to design best practice charging bays
with improved accessibility. The new
charging bays will include wider hatched
areas between the charging bays and
dropped kerbs to ensure a step-free
route to a charge point from a vehicle
The Energy Saving Trust have
published a report confirming that
the built environment around charge
points has been identified as an area of
concern for certain disabled consumers,
specifically those with mobility and
dexterity disabilities. To support with
site selection for the charge points,
anonymised data from customers on the
Motability Scheme, supplied through the
Cenex’s National EV Insight and support
(NEVIS) service, has helped provide
input into where the charge points are
proposed to be installed.
“Charge point infrastructure must be
inclusive, and through collaborations like
this we can prove that we can create a
bespoke network that ensures that no
one is left behind,” says
Guy Bartlett,
Mark Venables
CEO, Believ.
“We’re incredibly proud to be a part
of this project, particularly to support
residents with disabilities who have
felt the industry has been too slow in
addressing their needs. This is a perfect
example of how the private and public
sector can partner to deliver innovative
solutions for those who need it most.”
GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SECTOR JOURNAL AUTUMN 2024
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