Openreach charge ahead with 4000th electric vehicle
Openreach has welcomed the 4000th electric vehicle (EV) to its fleet as the UK's leading digital network provider continues to push ahead with reducing its carbon footprint.
With the second largest fleet in the UK, totalling more than 30,000 vehicles, Openreach engineers travelled around 280 million miles during the past 12 months.
The deployment of electric vehicles across its fleet aligns with Openreach's broader sustainability objectives of becoming a net zero business.
This latest 4000th EV van marks a substantial achievement in the company's ongoing efforts to switch the bulk of its commercial van fleet to zero emissions by 2031.
By integrating EVs into its operational fleet, Openreach not only enhances its environmental performance but also sets a positive example for sustainable practices within the telecommunications industry while supporting the UK's ambitious targets for carbon reduction.
Welcoming this positive milestone, Abby Chicken, Head of Sustainability at Openreach, said, "We’re all working hard at Openreach to minimize our carbon footprint and contribute to a greener future while also delivering a reliable and ultrafast Full Fibre network across every part for the UK.
“We’re thrilled to welcome our 4000th Electric Vehicle van into our fleet but know there’s a long way to go.
“By transitioning to electric vehicles, we’re not only reducing emissions but also setting an ambitious standard for sustainable practices within our industry."
To support its drive for cleaner and greener journeys it was revealed earlier last year that Openreach had teamed up with Ground Control to install an initial 8,500 charging points for Openreach. The new EV charge points will be installed outside engineer’s homes and at key Openreach sites, such as exchanges, up and down the country.
Bridgend based Openreach engineer and recent owner of a new Openreach EV van, Thomas Milligan, said: “I’ve had my shiny new EV a few weeks now and I can do absolutely everything that I previously did with my old van. From a driving perspective I have to say it’s really nice to drive compared to a diesel and from an environmental point of view it’s great to see that the business is taking our responsibilities seriously.
“I live in a terraced house so the option of having a home charger isn’t possible. But I can charge the van over night at the exchange and it’s ready to go every morning.”
Openreach proudly stands as a founding member of EV100, a global initiative uniting companies dedicated to accelerating the transition to electric vehicles this decade.
