How Centrica Tackled Electric Van 12V Battery Issues with Solar

Genie Insights has teamed up with Centrica Plc, one of the UK’s largest operators of electric vans, to address a major challenge faced by EV fleets nationwide: the widespread issue of “bricking”. This problem occurs when the 12-volt auxiliary battery, which powers essential functions like central locking, fails – leaving the vehicle completely inoperable. With a simple and effective solar solution, Genie Insights is helping Centrica to prolong battery life and to ensure its engineers can get to customers faster and more reliably.

Genie Insights is rolling out its cost-effective battery maintenance solution across 2,500 electric vans in Centrica’s fleet, which involves fitting a discreet solar panel to the roof of each electric van.

Customer: Centrica

Application: Electric light commercial vehicles

Challenge: 12V auxiliary battery discharge and vehicle “bricking”

Solution: Genie Insights 50W solar battery maintenance solution

Deployment: Nationwide retrofit fleet rollout

Like conventional vehicles, electric vans rely on a 12V auxiliary battery to power essential vehicle functions. If this battery becomes discharged, the vehicle can become completely inoperable, despite having charge remaining in its high-voltage traction battery. This is commonly referred to as “bricking”.

For Centrica, vehicle availability has a direct impact on its ability to serve customers. With a large investment being made in fleet electrification, the business wanted to address an issue that could prevent its engineers from accessing and using their vans.

Centrica Director of Fleet, Rob Simister, explained:

“Vehicle downtime is bad for business, and it’s bad for our customers. We had to find a solution quickly so that we can make sure our engineers can get to our customers exactly when we’re needed most.”

Centrica explored a number of options before testing Genie Insights’ solar battery maintenance solution.

Genie Insights was selected to supply the solar battery maintenance solution across 2,500 electric vans.

A lightweight 50W CIGS solar panel is bonded to the roof of the electric van and connected to the vehicle’s 12V electrical system. The system supplies ongoing charge to the auxiliary battery during daylight hours, counteracting discharge during periods when the vehicle is inactive and electrical loads from equipment such as telematics continue to draw power.

The flexible CIGS module, manufactured in the UK by MIPV, has a low-profile installation and adds less than 3kg/m² to the vehicle roof.

Centrica Fleet Engineering and Innovation Manager, Matt Harris, said:

“We explored several options but there was a clear frontrunner. Following the successful tests, this partnership with Genie Insights will equip all 2,500 of our electric commercial vehicles with their solar solution, ensuring the 12v batteries remain charged.”

The rollout moved solar from a trial solution addressing a specific battery issue to part of Centrica’s wider approach to maintaining the operational availability of its electric vans. The Genie Insights solution now forms part of the Centrica specification for all eLCVs entering the fleet.

The solar system gives the 12V battery an autonomous source of supplementary charge whenever sufficient daylight is available, without requiring the driver to plug in a charger or change how the vehicle is used.

Across Centrica’s fleet, the rollout is intended to:

• Reduce the risk of 12V battery discharge and vehicle bricking
• Maintain vehicle availability by keeping the auxiliary battery charged
• Counter parasitic electrical loads from telematics and other onboard equipment
• Reduce reliance on manual intervention to maintain 12V batteries

For a large fleet of electric vans used by engineers to reach customers, addressing the 12V battery issue removes one potential cause of vehicles being unavailable when required.

The solution not only supports Centrica’s engineers in reaching customers reliably, but also aligns with the company’s vision of “Energising a Greener, Fairer Future.”

The same 12V battery issue can affect electric vans across different manufacturers and operating profiles. Telematics, security systems and other electrical equipment can continue drawing current while a vehicle is parked, while periods of inactivity can leave the auxiliary battery without sufficient replenishment.

Genie Insights’ solar battery maintenance solution uses vehicle-integrated solar to provide a source of charge to the 12V battery.

Read more about our 12V battery maintenance solution for electric vans.

Centrica is an international energy services and solutions company, founded on a 200-year heritage of serving customers in homes and businesses. The company supplies energy and services to over 10 million residential and business customers, mainly in the UK and Ireland, through brands such as British Gas, Bord Gáis Energy and Centrica Business Solutions. Through its trusted brands, Centrica delivers innovative energy and services solutions to help solve customers’ needs, supported by around 7,000 engineers and technicians.