Car & Van Lease Supermarket has announced partner company status with Egnida to help resolve future EV infrastructure challenges.

Egnida has now acquired three companies; energy consultancy business Encraft, based in Leamington Spa, and Birmingham-based fleet management firms Logical Vehicle Management (LVM) and Car & Van Lease Supermarket.

Egnida’s chief executive Andrew Padmore said: “The situation is made more complex by the growth of electric vehicles that will initially cause grid problems.

“However, using smart charging and vehicle to grid (V2G) capability will help support the grid, turning electric vehicles into both mobility and energy assets.

“If the transition to electric vehicles is managed carefully fleet operations can be optimised and vehicles used to secure energy market related income to drastically reduce fleet whole-life cost of operations.”

The UK Government’s recently published industrial strategy made local smart energy systems one of its priority areas. Businesses can also apply for a share of up to £20 million for innovative projects that support electric vehicles to work smartly with the grid through Innovate UK funding.

Car & Van Lease Supermarket’s founder Tony Murtagh said: “With our combined specialisms and expertise, we now offer an integrated service to our customers with energy and mobility and fleet needs to ensure that they’re able to face future challenges. 

“Car parks will be tomorrow’s power stations and we are uniquely placed to optimise the relationship between electric vehicles, charging infrastructure and the grid to satisfy the green fleet agenda.

Encraft’s managing director Kate Ashworth said: “This is a very positive development for our business. We have been looking for a partner and ways to move from our established innovation and consultancy work into implementation.

“The capabilities, culture and ambitions of Egnida are an ideal fit for us and I’m delighted that we’ve been able to agree this acquisition.”