Mitie : accelerates EV strategy as first electric vans hit the roads

Mitie has taken the next step in its electric vehicle commitment and officially begun rolling out its first electric vans, with vehicles rolling out on roads across the UK from today. The new vans will join the 98 electric cars that Mitie already has in its fleet, following its commitment to switch 20% of its cars and small vans to electric by 2020. With some 200 Mitie electric vehicles (EVs) due to be on the roads by the end of this year and a further 300 already on order, Mitie is well on track to meet this target.

In fact, at some 700 vehicles, Mitie's business-leading 20% by 2020 commitment sets an ambition to have the UK's largest fleet of EVs by the end of next year. Given the large scale of this target, Mitie chose to start with smaller deliveries of vehicles from a range of manufactures to test and learn. This has been rapidly amplified by increasing to larger volumes for widespread rollout across the UK.

Mitie is also investing in the UK's EV charging infrastructure and will be installing around 800 electric vehicle charge points at employees' homes, Mitie offices and customer sites.

Given that its fleet is responsible for 93% of its carbon emissions, Mitie's transition to electric vehicles will have a dramatic impact on its carbon footprint - the 20% by 2020 commitment alone will save 4,000 tonnes of CO₂ a year. Mitie also recently joined EV100, pledging to fully electrify its fleet by 2030*.

Simon King, Fleet and Procurement Director, Mitie, said:

'We're delighted to see Mitie's first-ever electric vans join our fleet, as our electric vehicle commitment rapidly becomes reality. Given that we run one of the UK's largest fleets, with our 20% by 2020 pledge I'm proud that we've already set an ambitious target that sees us at the forefront of EV adoption. While we're well on track to meet our goals, we all need to go further faster, if we want to limit the impact on climate change. We're already looking ahead past cars and small vans, to see how we can get every other Mitie vehicle, from larger vans to scaffolding trucks and gritters, switched to electric as soon as possible.'

Notes to editors

*Subject to the availability and affordability of the right vehicles and adequate public charging infrastructure.

About Mitie

Founded in 1987, Mitie is the UK's leading facilities management and professional services company. It offers a range of specialist services including Security, Engineering Services, Cleaning, Landscaping, Energy and Property Consultancy, and Custody Support Services.

Mitie employs 48,900 people across the country, looking after a large, diverse, blue-chip customer base, from banks and retailers, to hospitals, schools and government offices. It takes care of its customers' people and buildings, by delivering the basics brilliantly and by deploying advanced technology. It is pioneering the Connected Workspace, using smart analytics to provide valuable insight and deliver efficiencies to create outstanding work environments for customers.