Scott P. Arroyo 
In a bid to accelerate the switch to electric vehicles, Welsh entrepreneur Jarrad Morris officially announced the launch of Fleet-e, a company dedicated to helping businesses and individuals make the switch in response to local authorities’ goals and government and the urgency to do so underlined at COP26.
With an operational valuation of £ 1.2million and a funding round being launched, Fleet-e offers a wide range of electric cars and vans available for hire, ranging from the latest Tesla Model 3 and Jaguar i- Pace, like the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe, and also supports the installation of the associated charging infrastructure. Fleet-e aims to take the confusion out of switching to electric and help businesses and consumers navigate the associated minefield, and announced that 100 trees will be planted for every vehicle ordered in November, December and January.
In addition to leasing contracts for individuals and businesses, which include leading commercial options and ancillary services, Fleet-e is also expected to launch its electric vehicle rental platform, VOLT. The platform aims to serve areas of the market that might not want the long-term commitment of a full-time lease or are afraid to make the switch.
VOLT will see electric vehicles placed in car parks and key central locations in urban areas of Wales, allowing the public to use electric transport when needed. Electric vehicles will be reserved and accessible via a smartphone application. This will be especially important in helping local authorities achieve specific clean air goals in towns and cities and will add a new approach for people to engage in the electric vehicle revolution without the need to purchase. or to lease a vehicle for the long term. VOLT reinforces the recent announcement by Cardiff Council (September 2021) of launching a carpooling program next year, aimed at reducing air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions and reducing the need to own a private car .
Jarrad Morris commented
“There has been a reduction in the number of cars during the pandemic and working from home has become the new normal for many, which means two families of cars are reduced to one. However, there may be times when an additional vehicle is required. Likewise, this solution is open to businesses and offers users the flexibility of using the car at their convenience without the commitment of a full-time vehicle.
In addition to the two products above, Fleet-e also offers a wage sacrifice product which is open to companies who wish to offer vehicles to their employees. Morris adds, “The wage sacrifice is now a very popular way for employers to strengthen their benefits program. Our program is designed to suit both employer and employee, while allowing employees to enjoy the tax benefits of switching to electricity. The program also includes full insurance, maintenance and a host of other great features. “
Reinforcing its ecological credentials, Fleet-e recently announced the launch of its partnership with the “Race To Zero” campaign. The campaign is to pair athletes making a positive impact on the climate through tree planting, with a number of athletes engaging in the challenge in a range of different sports.
Fleet-e has chosen to work with its Ambassador and Race To Zero athlete Joshua Bugajski, Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist and former Cardiff University student. This “Race To Zero” campaign partnership will see one tree planted in Wales for every competitive race Josh has, which averages 200 per race. Josh made his senior rowing debut in Britain in the inaugural World Cup of the 2018 season, winning a silver in the men’s eight in his first race and then running the duo in the World Cup II. He went on to represent the GB team at the Tokyo Olympics and won bronze with a total of 635 trees planted through his efforts so far.
The launch of Fleet-e complements plans developed by the Welsh Government as part of its electric vehicle charging strategy for Wales ‘Facilitating the transition to net-zero’ and the clean air strategies developed by individual local authorities. Fleet-e is also helping to provide a response to a letter sent last year by hundreds of Welsh NHS employees to the Welsh government, stating that “poor air quality and climate change pose a greater threat to human health and the economy than the coronavirus… environmental problems must be a priority in the context of a healthy recovery ”.
Commenting on the launch of Fleet-e, Jarrad Morris adds:
“It is clear that the switch to electric is not only happening, but must happen as quickly as possible. With Fleet-e, I wanted to offer a solution to the general public, as well as companies with larger vehicle fleets, ensuring that everyone can contribute to solving environmental problems, regardless of their budget and needs.
“I have tried to launch electric scooters in Wales through the GOiA brand before, but no active trials have been approved by the Welsh government. However, my previous experience in vehicle leasing has helped me think about Fleet-e. People are now so much more savvy in demanding vehicle solutions that take into account not only price and appearance, but also the environmental aspects of travel, and that is why Fleet-e only offers electrical solutions, a strategy that I was not able to implement in my previous role. .
“The keyless, app-based element of Fleet-e will make it easier for people to engage in all communities and requirements. We will be engaging with local authorities and private companies to make sure the offering meets people’s needs and already have some exciting partnerships in place which we will announce shortly.
“I also wanted to make sure that Fleet-e directly contributes to the fight against the climate crisis and our partnership with Josh Bugajski, our first athlete ambassador, is a unique and creative way to do this through the Race To Zero campaign. Josh has already been extremely busy over the past few weeks and months in highly competitive races so our partnership has already had an immediate impact and I’m delighted to have someone of Josh’s stature involved with Fleet-e. who shares our passion for the environment and to support future generations. We are working closely with our partners on the Race To Zero campaign and look forward to seeing trees in the ground and electric vehicles on our streets.
