Jurni Leasing Adds Genie Insights’ Solar to Minibus Fleets
Jurni Leasing has announced a partnership with RS Connect to offer Genie Insights’ solar battery maintenance solution as a retrofit installation service to its minibus customers, aimed at increasing vehicle uptime and reducing battery-related breakdowns.
The fitment of a roof-mounted solar panel provides an ongoing trickle charge to the minibus 12V battery and aims to address the growing issue of schools and colleges suffering from flat batteries due to vehicles standing dormant during holidays.
Jurni runs a fleet of over 3,000 minibuses and RS Connect’s team of 100 electrical engineers will deliver a nationwide retrofit capability for single-vehicle or large-scale retrofit programmes.
Under the partnership, RS Connect will install the tried and tested Genie Insights 50W solar battery maintenance solution to Jurni customer vehicles, which is powered by a solar panel manufactured in the UK by MIPV. RS Connect is an established Genie Insights installation partner and has already completed more than 2,500 installations of Genie solar solutions across fleets including Network Rail and Centrica. Its engineers are trained to install the system, providing Jurni with the nationwide coverage required to offer the retrofit service across its customer base.
“Minibuses are heavily relied on during term time but can sit unused for weeks during school holidays. These extended periods off the road can compromise battery reliability and leave vehicles unable to start when they’re needed most,” said Duncan Fitzgerald, Chief Operating Officer at Jurni Leasing.
“The solar panels are designed to help fleets combat 12-volt battery drain issues on diesel and electric vehicles to maintain battery health and vehicle uptime whilst reducing vehicle breakdown and rescue costs. RS is the ideal partner as it has the capability and coverage to install panels nationwide,” he added.
John Corfield, Managing Director at RS Connect, added: “The collaboration with Jurni is an exciting one as we will reduce the inconvenience and cost for customers of a flat battery, whilst optimising vehicle uptime for schools, colleges and universities across the UK.”
Laura Reeve, Commercial Director at Genie Insights, said: “Minibuses are a great example of where solar battery maintenance makes sense. They can have periods of intensive use followed by several weeks sitting idle, while onboard electrical systems continue to draw power from the 12V battery.
“We’ve worked with RS Connect on some of our largest fleet retrofit projects, so it’s great to see that experience now being used to make the Genie solution available to Jurni’s minibus customers across the UK.”
Alongside the retrofit service, Jurni will also offer the Genie Insights solar battery maintenance solution on new minibus leases, giving schools, colleges and other education customers the option to improve battery reliability from day one.
The partnership adds another route to market for Genie Insights’ commercial vehicle solar technology, combining Jurni’s experience within the minibus sector with RS Connect’s nationwide installation capability and Genie’s experience in vehicle-integrated solar battery maintenance.
