Overview

Calisen is rolling out Genie Insights’ solar battery maintenance solution across its electric van fleet to address 12V battery failures and avoidable vehicle downtime.

Telematics fitted to Calisen’s service vans continues to draw power when vehicles are inactive, including during extended periods such as public holidays. Combined with the reduced 12V battery capacity found in some electric vans, this was contributing to battery-related reliability issues.

Forty vehicles have already been retrofitted with the Genie Insights solution while solar is also being incorporated into newly procured vehicles during conversion before they enter service.

Customer: Calisen

Application: Electric service vans

Fleet: Around 350 vans, approximately one-third fully electric

Challenge: 12V battery discharge, telematics loads and vehicle downtime

Solution: Genie Insights 50W high-voltage solar battery maintenance solution

The Challenge

Calisen operates a fleet of around 350 service vans used by a nationwide field force of approximately 1,100 engineers and technicians.

Its vehicles are fitted with telematics which continue to draw power from the 12V electrical system when the vans are parked. During longer periods of inactivity, such as public holidays, this ongoing electrical load had contributed to discharged batteries, breakdowns and avoidable vehicle downtime.

The transition to electric vans introduced another consideration. Some manufacturers are reducing the capacity of 12V batteries at the same time as telematics and other auxiliary electrical loads continue to place demands on them.

For Calisen, this combination was compromising vehicle reliability and creating an operational problem for a field workforce that depends on its vans every day.

The Solution

Calisen selected Genie Insights’ 50W high-voltage solar battery maintenance solution to provide an autonomous source of supplementary charge to the 12V battery.

The roof-mounted CIGS solar panel which is manufactured in the UK by MIPV, generates energy whenever sufficient daylight is available and feeds it into the vehicle’s 12V electrical system. This counteracts ongoing electrical loads such as telematics and reduces the risk of the battery becoming discharged while the vehicle is standing.

The system operates automatically without requiring drivers to connect an external charger or change how they use the vehicle.

Retrofit & New Vehicle Integration

Calisen is using two installation routes as it introduces solar across its electric van fleet.

Forty existing vehicles have already had the technology retrofitted. Solar is also being incorporated into newly procured vehicles, which are converted to Calisen’s bespoke specification before entering service.

This allows Calisen to address battery maintenance on electric vans already in operation while incorporating the same solution into new vehicles before deployment.

The approach also reflects Genie Insights’ wider installation model, where existing vehicles can be retrofitted and new-build installations can be completed during the vehicle conversion process.

The Outcome

Calisen reports that the installation strategy is already improving vehicle reliability and reducing avoidable downtime and it is expected to reduce avoidable down time by up to 50%.

Briony Morgan-Wilcox, Fleet Sustainability and Efficiency Manager at Calisen, said:

“Our engineers and technicians depend on their vehicles every day to deliver essential services to customers across the UK. We had to find a swift resolution to our battery problems and were introduced to Genie through a major fleet operator which had already rolled out solar panel technology to resolve a similar problem.

“The solar panels are already improving vehicle reliability, reducing avoidable downtime and ensuring our field staff can stay productive. The solar technology delivers a passive but always-on solution to a real operational headache while also supporting our wider sustainability objectives.”

With around one-third of Calisen’s 350-vehicle fleet now fully electric, solar battery maintenance is being incorporated as part of the company’s approach to operating its electric vans.

Most of Calisen’s electric vans travel around 100 miles each day and are primarily charged at drivers’ homes or through the public charging network, while the addition of solar charging provides an extra layer of resilience to the 12V battery to help maintain its charge between journeys.

Experiencing similar issues with your electric van fleet? Explore our 12-volt battery maintenance solution.

About Calisen

Overview

Jurni Leasing has introduced Genie Insights’ solar battery maintenance solution to its minibus customers, addressing the risk of flat 12V batteries when vehicles are left standing for extended periods.

Jurni operates a fleet of more than 3,000 minibuses, many used by schools, colleges and other education customers. These vehicles can see intensive use during term time followed by several weeks off the road during holidays, creating conditions where ongoing electrical loads can gradually discharge the 12V battery.

The Genie Insights 50W solar solution, powered by MIPV technology, is available as a nationwide retrofit service through RS Connect and as an option on new minibus leases.

Customer: Jurni Leasing

Application: Minibuses

Fleet: 3,000+ vehicles

Challenge: 12V battery discharge during extended periods of inactivity

Solution: Genie Insights 50W solar battery maintenance solution

Installation: Nationwide retrofit through RS Connect or specified on new minibus leases

The Challenge

Minibuses used by schools and colleges have an unusual operating pattern. They can be relied upon heavily during term time but then remain parked for several weeks during school holidays.

While the vehicle is standing, onboard electrical systems can continue to draw power from the 12V battery. Over an extended period, this can leave the battery discharged and the vehicle unable to start when it is needed again.

For Jurni and its customers, the issue can result in battery-related breakdowns, recovery requirements and vehicles being unavailable at the start of a new term.

Duncan Fitzgerald, Chief Operating Officer at Jurni Leasing, explained:

“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.”

The Solution

Jurni selected Genie Insights’ 50W solar battery maintenance solution to provide an ongoing source of supplementary charge to the vehicle’s 12V battery.

A lightweight CIGS solar module, manufactured in the UK by MIPV, is bonded to the vehicle roof and connected to the 12V electrical system. It generates energy from available daylight to counteract ongoing electrical loads and maintain the battery while the vehicle is in use or standing.

The system operates autonomously, with no requirement for drivers or depot staff to connect an external charger during periods when the vehicle is not being used.

Making Solar Available Across the Jurni Fleet

Rather than limiting the solution to a single trial or customer deployment, Jurni has made solar battery maintenance available across its minibus customer base.

Existing vehicles can be retrofitted through RS Connect, Genie Insights’ preferred nationwide retrofit installation partner. RS Connect has a network of more than 100 electrical engineers trained to install the Genie Insights system and has already completed more than 2,500 Genie solar installations across commercial vehicle fleets.

Jurni will also offer the solar solution on new minibus leases, allowing schools, colleges and other customers to specify battery maintenance before the vehicle enters service.

This gives customers two routes to adoption depending on where their vehicles are in their lifecycle: retrofit for minibuses already in operation or installation as part of a new lease.

The Outcome

Jurni can now offer its customers a practical way to address a known battery maintenance issue associated with the way education minibuses are operated.

For vehicles already in service, nationwide retrofit means the solar solution can be installed without customers having to establish their own installation arrangements. For new leases, solar can be specified from the outset.

Duncan Fitzgerald said:

“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.”

The partnership extends the application beyond a particular fuel or powertrain. The 12V battery maintenance requirement can exist on both diesel and electric minibuses, allowing Jurni to offer the solution across different vehicles within its customer fleet.

About Jurni Leasing

Overview

Genie Insights and RS Connect have completed more than 2,500 solar retrofit installations across commercial vehicle fleets in the UK, including large-scale deployments with Centrica and Network Rail.

Genie Insights works with a range of installation partners depending on the customer, vehicle and type of deployment. On new vehicle builds, solar is typically integrated by the bodybuilder or van converter before the vehicle enters service. Where vehicles are already operational, RS Connect is Genie Insights’ preferred partner for nationwide retrofit installations.

With a UK-wide network of more than 100 trained electrical engineers, RS Connect acts as an extension of Genie Insights’ installation operation, providing the capacity to manage anything from individual vehicle installations to fleet-wide retrofit projects.

The partnership combines Genie Insights’ commercial vehicle solar technology and application knowledge with RS Connect’s nationwide installation capability.

Partner: RS Connect

Application: Commercial vehicle solar retrofit

Deployment: 2,500+ installations

Fleets: HGV and LCV vehicle operators

Installation network: 100+ trained electrical engineers

Capability: Single vehicles through to nationwide fleet deployments

The Challenge

Commercial vehicle fleets can adopt solar at different points in the vehicle lifecycle.

On new vehicle builds, the installation can usually be incorporated into the vehicle conversion, with the bodybuilder or van converter fitting the solar system before the vehicle enters service.

Retrofit presents a different challenge. Vehicles may already be operating across multiple depots, teams and geographic locations, making it impractical to bring an entire fleet back to a central facility for installation.

Genie Insights therefore needed a retrofit partner with nationwide coverage, sufficient engineering capacity and the ability to work consistently across different vehicle makes, models and operating locations.

The Solution

RS Connect is Genie Insights’ preferred installation partner for nationwide commercial vehicle solar retrofit.

Its network of more than 100 electrical engineers provides coverage across the UK. While RS Connect’s wider expertise includes telematics, camera systems and vehicle electrical installations, its engineers receive specialist training to install Genie Insights solar solutions.

This allows retrofit activity to be organised around where vehicles are operating, rather than requiring vehicles to travel to a central installation facility.

This gives Genie Insights the capacity to manage retrofit requirements ranging from an individual vehicle to national projects involving hundreds of installations. The partnership has been used across major fleet deployments, contributing to more than 2,500 completed solar installations.

The size and geographic spread of the RS Connect engineering network means installations can be organised around where fleet vehicles are located rather than requiring vehicles to travel to a central installation facility.

This model also allows installation capacity to be scaled according to the project, from a small number of vehicles through to nationwide deployment activity involving hundreds of installations.

John Corfield, Managing Director at RS Connect, said:

“Together we’ve developed installation processes that allow customers to implement solar retrofit programmes efficiently and consistently, whether that’s a handful of vehicles or a major nationwide roll out.”

Building a Repeatable Retrofit Process

The relationship extends into the technical and operational planning behind each deployment.

Genie Insights and RS Connect work together to develop installation procedures for new vehicle makes and models where an existing fitting method cannot be used.

Installation guides document the agreed process, while quality control procedures are used to maintain installation standards across engineers and locations.

This creates a repeatable method that can be rolled out across a fleet once the installation approach for a particular vehicle has been established.

Laura Reeve, Commercial Director at Genie Insights, said:

“RS Connect is a genuine extension of the Genie team. Their engineers represent our brand on customer sites every day, so having a partner that shares our standards around quality, professionalism and customer service is incredibly important.”

The Outcome

More than 2,500 completed installations have established a delivery model that Genie Insights can apply to commercial vehicle fleets requiring solar retrofit at scale.

The partnership provides:

• Access to more than 100 trained electrical engineers across the UK
• Documented installation processes for different vehicle configurations
• Capacity to scale installation activity around fleet requirements
• Experience of coordinating large deployments across operational fleets

It also forms part of a wider installation model. New vehicles can have solar integrated during the build or conversion process, while existing fleets can access a nationwide retrofit service through RS Connect.

This means the installation route can be matched to how the customer purchases and operates its vehicles rather than requiring every project to follow the same model.

About RS Connect

Overview

Isuzu UK has collaborated with Genie Insights to offer an integrated solar solution as an option on the new Isuzu D-Max EV, allowing fleet customers to specify solar as part of the vehicle build.

The bespoke 75W high-voltage system is installed before the vehicle reaches the customer, providing an autonomous source of supplementary power to maintain the 12V battery and offset electrical loads that could otherwise draw power from the vehicle.

The collaboration follows trials and evaluation with Isuzu UK importer IM Group, building on experience of Genie Insights’ solar technology across shared fleet customer Network Rail.

Customer: Isuzu UK / IM Group

Application: Electric pick-up vehicles

Vehicle: Isuzu D-Max EV

Challenge: 12V battery maintenance and onboard electrical loads

Solution: Bespoke 75W high-voltage CIGS solar solution

The Challenge

With the launch of the fully electric D-Max EV, Isuzu UK wanted to offer fleet customers an integrated solar option that could maintain the 12V battery and provide supplementary power to onboard electrical systems without changing driver behaviour.

The Solution

Genie Insights provides a bespoke 75W high-voltage solar solution, powered by MIPV technology, for the D-Max EV.

The flexible CIGS solar module is fitted to the load bed roof and measures 947mm by 687mm. At just 3mm thick and weighing 2.5kg, it adds minimal weight to the vehicle.

CIGS technology generates energy from daylight and continues to operate in low-light and partially shaded conditions.

The system operates autonomously, requiring no manual charging or intervention from the driver.

The solution is fully automotive compliant, including with ECE R10 Type Approval standards.

From Fleet Experience to OEM Integration

The relationship between Genie Insights and Isuzu UK importer IM Group developed through experience with shared fleet customer Network Rail.

Diesel Isuzu D-Max vehicles were already operating within Network Rail’s fleet, while Genie Insights had supplied solar technology across its wider commercial vehicle fleet, including around 450 vehicles over a two-year period.

This existing fleet experience was followed by trials and evaluation with IM Group.

The collaboration subsequently progressed to the new D-Max EV, with Genie Insights’ solar system made available as an integrated option that fleet customers can specify before their vehicles enter service.

Alan Able, Managing Director of Isuzu UK, said:

“We’ve been on a great journey with Genie Insights, and the relationship we’ve built in a short space of time reflects the quality of the product and the collaboration behind it. Offering this solution on the Isuzu D-Max EV allows us to give customers an integrated, high-quality option that’s already been proven in fleet use, while maintaining the durability and capability expected from Isuzu.”

The Outcome

Fleet customers ordering the D-Max EV can specify the Genie Insights solar solution as part of the vehicle build rather than arranging a separate retrofit after delivery.

This means the vehicle can enter service with a source of supplementary power already installed, maintaining the 12V battery and offsetting electrical loads from onboard equipment whenever sufficient daylight is available.

For Isuzu UK, the collaboration adds a solar power option to the D-Max EV proposition while retaining an integrated approach to vehicle preparation.

For fleet customers, installation before delivery removes the need to take a new vehicle out of operation at a later date to have the system retrofitted and ensures that the battery is benefiting from the solar charging from the outset.

Explore our solar battery maintenance solutions for electric commercial vehicles.

About IM Group / Isuzu UK

The D-Max EV, which was launched in 2026, is Isuzu’s fully electric pick-up, combining zero-emission operation with a payload of more than one tonne.

Overview

Independent transport refrigeration specialist, CB Transport Refrigeration Limited, Service partner for Carrier Transicold UK, has installed 1,500 Genie Insights solar solutions on refrigerated trailers since first trialling the technology in 2021.

What began as a solution to recurring fridge battery issues on one customer fleet has developed into a core part of CB Transport Refrigeration’s offering, with solar used to maintain transport refrigeration unit (TRU) batteries and reduce battery-related call-outs and downtime.

Customer: CB Transport Refrigeration

Application: Refrigerated trailers and transport refrigeration units

Deployment: 1,500 solar installations

Challenge: Flat TRU batteries, breakdowns and associated downtime

Solution: Genie Insights solar battery maintenance solution

The Challenge

Reliable battery power is critical to refrigerated transport operations. The transport refrigeration unit relies on its battery to start and operate correctly, and a discharged battery can leave a trailer out of service.

For temperature-controlled fleets, the consequences extend beyond the battery itself. A battery-related breakdown can mean an engineer call-out, vehicle downtime and disruption to the movement of temperature-controlled goods, even causing spoiled produce onboard.

CB Transport Refrigeration first approached Genie Insights in 2021 when one of its key customers was experiencing recurring flat fridge batteries.

CB Transport Refrigeration Managing Director, Kev Collins, explains:

“Breakdowns from flat fridge batteries are a nightmare for operators – from down time of the vehicles to repair costs – it all has an impact. We needed a fix that actually worked and Genie’s solar kit does just that.”

The Solution

Designed specifically for transport refrigeration units, Genie Insights’ solar solution, powered by MIPV technology, is lightweight, low-profile, and purpose-built for the harsh conditions of commercial vehicle operations.

The solar module is fitted to the trailer roof and connected to the TRU battery. It generates charge whenever sufficient daylight is available, maintaining the battery during operation and periods when the trailer is standing.

This reduces the risk of battery discharge without requiring drivers or depot teams to manually connect an external charger.

“The collaboration or joint venture between the two companies [Genie Insights and CB Transport Refrigeration] has been a great relationship from the start.” Kev said. “They understand how we work, and they’ve never let us down. Panels turn up when they’re meant to, and the kit works. That’s all we ask.”

Matt Reeve, Managing Director at Genie Insights, added:

CB Transport Refrigeration knows what temperature-controlled operators are up against, and they’ve really championed our solar product since the first trial we ran for one of their key accounts that was experiencing recurring flat batteries. It’s always a pleasure working with Kev and the CB team, and we’re really proud to have become such a key part of the total package they can offer to customers.”

From One Trial to 1,500 Installations

The initial installation in 2021 was intended to address a specific battery problem on one customer fleet.

Following that trial, CB Transport Refrigeration continued to offer the Genie Insights solution to other customers experiencing similar issues.

What started as a one-off trial has grown steadily, with solar now a core part of CB Transport Refrigeration’s offering to its impressive customer base, which includes some of the UK’s largest temperature-controlled logistics operators.

Since then, adoption has grown steadily, with the 1,500-installation milestone representing repeated success across CB Transport Refrigeration’s customer base.

The Outcome

CB Transport Refrigeration reports fewer battery-related call-outs and reduced downtime among customers using the solar solution.

Kev Collins said:

“My customers see the benefit straight away. Fewer call-outs, less downtime, and peace of mind. We’ve now got 1,500 panels out there, and counting.”

CB Transport Refrigeration is committed to addressing common operational challenges faced by temperature-controlled operators. By integrating Genie Insights’ reliable solar technology into its service offering, the company is providing its customers with a commercial advantage through enhanced equipment reliability and reduced downtime.

Solar Battery Maintenance for Refrigerated Transport

Flat TRU batteries are a common cause of refrigerated trailers being taken out of service. Solar battery maintenance provides an autonomous source of supplementary charge, reducing reliance on manual charging while the trailer is in operation or standing.

Genie Insights supplies solar solutions for transport refrigeration applications across trailers and commercial vehicles.

See how solar can reduce battery-related downtime in refrigerated transport.

About CB Transport Refrigeration

CB Transport Refrigeration Limited is an independent transport refrigeration specialist and service partner for Carrier Transicold UK (also known as Carrier Northwest, West Midlands and East Midlands).

The company, which is the UK’s longest-serving official Carrier Service Partner, has been supporting temperature-controlled operators for more than four decades through expert service, maintenance and installation of refrigerated transport equipment.