Liz Allan [00:00:03]:
Right. Okay. On today's episode of the podcast, I have got Dean Hedger, Now Dean is the business development, senior business development manager. Get it right, Liz, at Vital EV Solutions based in Coventry. Dean, thank you ever so much for joining me. It's it's brilliant to see you again because we haven't met once before, haven't we?
Dean Hedger [00:00:24]:
We met at, free trial south, didn't we? Not so long ago. Absolutely.
Liz Allan [00:00:29]:
We did. We did.
Dean Hedger [00:00:31]:
Could speak.
Liz Allan [00:00:31]:
But we've we've spoke we've spoken a couple of times though as well.
Dean Hedger [00:00:34]:
We have. And I've seen a few podcasts go through Liz.
Liz Allan [00:00:39]:
Oh, well, that's good then. That's good. You preempted it.
Dean Hedger [00:00:43]:
let's have a bit of action. See what's going on with this.
Liz Allan [00:00:49]:
Good. Good. And there's a lot of them out there, though. So right. Okay. So you've you've were previously so you're at Vital EV Solutions now. You're previously at business development manager at the AA. And that's kinda where I heard your name. I I would I kinda heard your name before and I was like, oh, okay. I know this man's name, but you were also previously to that you were alphabet leasing, you were Lloyds on the on has it always been on automotive leasing and kind of involved in cars quite a lot then?
Dean Hedger [00:01:19]:
I think for about 30 years, Liz, and and I and I really I started off life in ninety 2 managing a fleet of vehicles. That's a hospital. So, yeah, did that Oh, wow. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So that got me started. So, yeah, it's a it's a while. It's a while. That was when, do you know what, Ed? Yeah. Aircon was starting to become standard in cars then. I remember that coming through and yeah.
Liz Allan [00:01:49]:
crikey. Oh my god. Is it that long ago since we still all start getting air con in the cars?
Dean Hedger [00:01:53]:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think alternative fuel then was LPG. that was starting to come through. You know, it was, yeah, it was a different time, for sure, different time. But
Liz Allan [00:02:04]:
yeah. So so tell me a little bit of your background and why did you move into Vitalev?
Dean Hedger [00:02:12]:
Well, I suppose, it's, like I said, it's always been automotive. So having worked managing the fleet, I was a bit sort of poacher term gamekeeper, and I joined the a really tiny leasing company called Elton Vehicle Contracts. And that business, over 18 years, turned into Lex. It was obviously, obviously, Lloyd's Lloyd's Bank started off as Abby National, backed, and then it became Lloyds Bank backed. And and I yeah. So I was there for 18 years. Then I joined Alphabet. because alphabet, we're looking for a head of public sector, and I was heavily involved in the public sector side of the business at at Lloyds. And that that was a great move for me because that got me involved in commercial vehicles more heavily. It got me involved in electric vehicles as well because the BMW strategy who owned alphabet was about putting electric vehicles of any brand out because that would support BMW's kind of by 3 aspirations. So I was involved in the kind of, our electric product that they had, and that really, you know, I started talking about EVs a lot more, probably about 10 years ago. so sort of, you know, blooded myself, if you like, alphabet on EV, and then move move to the AA, and the AA, I I worked on developing their proposition kind of beyond breakdown and put in place a support service that that many CPOs use to this day, where if you are at a charge point and you cannot get a charge started, for example, you call the helpline, the AA provides that back office support for someone to, you know, to to effectively start, stop, or reset, depending on the charge button operator. And like I said, we've got We got 10 on board by the time I left. but for me, and my kind of career aspirations, I was quite keen to get really into the the EV world. And, there was a great opportunity with Vital to join us as senior BDM. And here we are. Here we are. 4 months down the line, which is absolutely flown by. So I'm learning lots about -- I
Liz Allan [00:04:22]:
bet it has. I bet it has Are you? Okay. Okay. Cause I I was going to say you have been flying over the place. I mean, I don't mean flying literally. And I mean, I don't mean you could develop wings or anything either like that, but you've kind of been at lots of different kind of events, haven't you?
Dean Hedger [00:04:41]:
Yeah.
Liz Allan [00:04:41]:
So I'm assuming I I can imagine that 3 months has has gone very, very quickly for you when you've been doing all of that.
Dean Hedger [00:04:48]:
Absolutely. And the last the last month, May, has been really, really busy with with both fully charged, and we've had the ITT hub. But it's been great because Vifel has gone through a
Liz Allan [00:04:57]:
-- Yes. --
Dean Hedger [00:04:58]:
a rebrand in the in the process. So you you may have seen the look and feel for the business change. So new brand on the top here, so I'm on. Yeah. I'm on the right brands.
Liz Allan [00:05:07]:
Oh, la la.
Dean Hedger [00:05:08]:
Yeah. My old polo shirts are, sorry
Liz Allan [00:05:11]:
for those of you listening, that looks lovely.
Dean Hedger [00:05:14]:
Yeah. Yeah. For the purpose of the, the the audio, Dean is pointing to a vital EV logo. There we go. There we go.
Liz Allan [00:05:23]:
And, you
Dean Hedger [00:05:25]:
know, the the the business was was built on the the partnership relationship that they had with with KemPower charging equipment, and it's expanded that with the rebrand to brands like Ortell, Alvetronic, and and Helios and an alien for for for an AC solution if we've got people that want 1 AC, but predominantly, vital is a is a DC charging infrastructure provider.
Liz Allan [00:05:52]:
Okay. Okay. So so what what was it that made you want to move to them then? What was it that kind of stood out to you when you, when you decided that, you know, you wanted to kind of move away from the from the AA.
Dean Hedger [00:06:05]:
I've got I've got involved, obviously, in the EV world quite quite heavily at the AA. And by I suppose working very deeply in that EV proposition. I got lots of organizations coming to me, offering the services that they provided. So you kind of I had a really good view and a good span of what this EV industry was was being built like. So I I 4 4 years into my career just over 4 years into my career at the AA and and and I'd I'd hit the the milestone of 50. And I thought, well, if I'm gonna move somewhere, it's now, I've gotta do it now. So, you know, nothing against the AA at all. It was a a good team, and I had a good time working there. But I just thought there's an opportunity here to get closer to the EV proposition, and I really liked what vital were doing because the proposition was focused on the DC market, which is we know is all rapid. So
Liz Allan [00:07:11]:
-- Yeah. Yeah. --
Dean Hedger [00:07:12]:
it it wasn't just the AC proposition in terms of, you know, the wallbox solutions. It it was it was broader than that, and it was working with a lot of organizations that I'd also worked with in the past. like vehicle manufacturers, you know, leasing companies, fleets, public sector, charge for operators. So the chance to go and take the vital solution to those organizations was was appealing. You know, it was appealing. So, yeah, Yeah. We had a few a few conversations and, you know, good old teams interviews as you do these days. And, here we are.
Liz Allan [00:07:54]:
So so go on. So tell me what what is what is the Vital EV solution? I know you've just said you know it's the rapid charge but what is it that that vitally the do compared to so because you've you're you're not money for are you? You are you are kind of you're doing you're doing you're you're getting you've got manufacturers that are providing you with their kit. once they provided you, what do you do then?
Dean Hedger [00:08:21]:
Yeah. I suppose we're we're we're a distributor plus, and it's on it's the plus that's that's key. So, obviously, we work with suppliers who are able to provide, yeah, who make the kit. we act as a distributor's a distributor to the to the UK for them, but in addition to just providing the hardware, we can go and help someone do a do a site design and survey. We've got our electrical engineering team who are able to go out to someone's site and assess the power capability and then make recommendations and guidance as to, you know, what power have they got on-site. What does that mean that they could have today? What does it mean that they could have tomorrow? Obviously, they make recommendations around who that organization then needs to engage with. to go and progress and understand, you know, the potential. if they do progress and they need equipment, then once that equipment is provided, we'll then we'll provide the the installation. We'll do the commissioning and all of the testing around the install. and then we'll do the service and maintenance on an ongoing basis once that kit is installed. So What you've got is that kind of this whole life solution from initial inquiry through to ongoing service and maintenance, that's the vital proposition. and then obviously,
Liz Allan [00:09:54]:
you know, in
Dean Hedger [00:09:54]:
in addition to that, we have software that we can provide that that all the charges sit on in terms of a back office operation, and then our customers can have access to that. So at the moment, Vital have got around
Liz Allan [00:10:10]:
2000
Dean Hedger [00:10:12]:
connections. So if you imagine a a charge point operator with 2000 connections, you're probably gonna be 5 in the UK with that with that kind of size. And that's that's our footprint, but all those charges are out with our customers, and we monitor them
Liz Allan [00:10:30]:
Yes.
Dean Hedger [00:10:30]:
To know that everything is operating as it should be. And if it isn't, the chances are we know before the customer, and we raise the alarm and out goes the engineer. So, yeah, you know, the model is is keeping everything operational, which is which is key. And as we've seen, the legacy of old kit being installed, and the press, you know, reaction to charges not working. yeah, the the the business took the approach to ensure that didn't happen with our our customers, what we provide. So
Liz Allan [00:11:06]:
-- Yeah. And I and I get it. And I get it. And And if you think about the end user being, you know, the customer, the person with the electric vehicle wanting to charge the car they don't want to go to a a charge point that isn't isn't working, do they? They want to actually make sure that, a, it free and b, it's actually working because you don't know who it who that person is, where they're from, what their journey's like, what time of day or night it is. So so yeah, I I I get I get you. It it's kind of it's about I like I like the whole life solution that you just said that the idea of a whole life solution to me makes makes massive sense, makes real sense, So who would you say your your who who are your customers? Who are who what types of customers are you actually providing these products and services to them?
Dean Hedger [00:11:59]:
Yeah. So the, you know, yes, you know, these 2000 connections are out with power companies, you know, DNOs. They're out with charge point operators, vehicle manufacturers, from the car, to the vans, to the trucks across all the sectors, they're with they're with public sector, they're with retailers. yeah, I mean, it's it's a diverse spread of customers, but it's it's growing. And one of the things we're looking at from from a kind of sales strategy is, you know, where is it growing the fastest and who who who needs us most
Liz Allan [00:12:42]:
Yeah.
Dean Hedger [00:12:43]:
Because there's an awful lot of inquiries that come in just generally into the business, but it's about us then channeling and turning around the the the most, well, the ones with the with the highest priority, really, that that need the vital bought a solution. So
Liz Allan [00:13:02]:
And and who who would you say at the moment? They're now the ones with the highest highest priority. What kinds of organizations are kind of recognizing now, right? Okay. We need to we need to move forward with our with our kind of, charge point offering. Who who would you say is kind of up at the top of your list? You don't have to say the company name, but just what what kind of sector
Dean Hedger [00:13:25]:
I would say it's there's a lot of engagement with vehicle at OEMs, and that can be across car van and truck. Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. because I think, you know, these guys are driving the product. They know what's coming down the line. so they know what charging facilities they need. And that's definitely a a a key area of growth. And also the public sector, lots and lots and lots and lots of local authorities now, you know, looking at what can they do to electrify. And I think there are some stats out there where some of those public sector fleets, and I can't remember the year, but they've gotta be 0 emission by a certain time, and it think it's well before 2 10:30. I think it's coming up
Liz Allan [00:14:11]:
2027. You know? So expect the fleets.
Dean Hedger [00:14:15]:
There is there is something place. I should have done my research list before going down an alleyway that I
Liz Allan [00:14:20]:
-- No. No. Don't worry.
Dean Hedger [00:14:22]:
I don't have the answer to, but it's definitely a it's definitely one to take away. And anyone listening or or, or watching knows that, yeah, tell us because it's definitely it's definitely quite soon. by comparison, you know, you know, but
Liz Allan [00:14:36]:
-- Yeah. I was gonna say, I will if I work out then when this goes out, I will she put the link into what that, to what those stats are for definite. You'll send me down a rabbit holding, you know, you'll send me down a rabbit hole because that's what happens with me. I'll be like, oh, find that out, and then I'll go off on some other tangent. Brilliant. Okay. Go on.
Dean Hedger [00:15:04]:
No. I I I'm done. I was just gonna say, yeah. No. The the but there is definitely something out there. It's just finding Yeah.
Liz Allan [00:15:12]:
Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. I'm just gonna say because Tom, Tom, the producer will be listening to this as well. think you've got a little bit of a lag, haven't you, between me, you hearing me?
Dean Hedger [00:15:22]:
There there there is definitely something between us somewhere. Isn't there a bit of a delay? Yeah.
Liz Allan [00:15:29]:
Yeah. Are are you alright with it though?
Dean Hedger [00:15:31]:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's just yeah, we need to let the other finish, which both of us are probably really bad at.
Liz Allan [00:15:42]:
Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Especially, but if you kind of quite can't quite get it, but look, Tom, just to bear in mind when you're editing this, just this this being a bit bit of a lag so you're probably going to have to take the separate files and faff around with it. It does a good job. It does a brilliant job. Right. Okay. Let's go back to this. So, what I was really interested with on the on the vital website was the fact that you're dealing with agricultural vehicles now, I'd even thought about this scene when I was looking at it, and I was thinking, electric tractors and combine harvesters and stuff like that. Oh my god. what size kit are we talking about for for kind of charging a tractor?
Dean Hedger [00:16:29]:
It varies, depending on the power packs on the on the on the vehicles. actually, do you know what, Liz? We'll edit this bit out because I have no idea on the agriculturals. Okay. Definitely, John, we will cut this one.
Liz Allan [00:16:47]:
Don't worry.
Dean Hedger [00:16:48]:
Yeah. It's coming.
Liz Allan [00:16:49]:
Sorry, Tom. We'll we'll, yeah, we'll we'll we'll cut that one out. Alright. Don't worry.
Dean Hedger [00:16:58]:
few few and far between at the moment.
Liz Allan [00:17:02]:
Oh, are they? Okay. Okay. Right. Okay. Cut cut that a bit out then. So so the other thing about your website that I was looking at, and I really really liked this Dean was the fact that it says, Your vision, so vital EV solutions, the vision is to be the most trusted service provider within the EV charging solutions sector. by setting and I've got a quote this because I think this is brilliant by setting world class customer service benchmarks and transforming customer expectations with honesty, integrity, and passion. Now that really, really tick a lot of my boxes because I'm all about honesty integrity and I'm I'm very passionate about what I do. So so that to me is a fabulous statement. Tell me more about it if you can.
Dean Hedger [00:17:53]:
the business, honestly, integrity and passion are the values of the business, and all the people in it are very much. aligned, you know, and everything we do is is is is aligned to those values. And it's born from the group company, Vital Group, which which has vital power and vital Levy within it. Vital Group was formed in
Liz Allan [00:18:16]:
2015
Dean Hedger [00:18:18]:
and initially had vital power, which was a a provider of uninterruptible power supply, okay, to organizations. which is effectively sort of, you know, generated provision. And then with that came the workforce who helped maintain the generators and keep everything operational or respond if there was a problem. And, again, always has operated under those values. And when you look at the DC charging market, which is another reason why there wasn't the move to AC, but you can see it's the same things need to apply in terms of the provision of the equipment and the subsequent maintenance of it following that you know, the business has kind of just has kind of replicated that model, which has always been very aligned to those values to help keep everybody operational. we're very much honest about what we'll provide in a in a very careful not to not to over spec systems so that we give the right advice and guidance through, you know, our our integrity to ensure that the opt you know, the equipment that people get and operate is is not just fit for purpose, but right for purpose, and that it will help them in the future as well. So it's good for today, but also good for the future. and and I had a good example recently where we had some equipment that that we were quoting that because it had 2 big power cabinets and each power cabinet had 200 kilowatts in each cabinet. So effectively, you've got 400 kilowatts of power. And the customer was kind of thinking, well, If I can charge at 300, that'll be fantastic. Now to charge at 300, you do need significantly larger cables because of the current that's flowing through. And and, you know, maintaining that that that operation. But in the long run, they actually wanted 10 charges so that only ever, in the long run, be charging at 40 kilowatts. And and and we said, well, Don't go for the expensive stuff now because it's a short term solution when your long term is to have 400 kilowatts across 10 charges, let's just work on that and then we'd build you up in time and, yeah, completely agree. So it's a good example of, you know, not over specking for a short term, high power solution, when in the long term, you you don't need to be that high and you don't you don't plan to be. So, you know, everything is,
Liz Allan [00:20:58]:
yeah.
Dean Hedger [00:21:00]:
A project. Everything's a project, and we've got project managers within the business, that help, help help on exactly that type of stuff.
Liz Allan [00:21:11]:
because it because it is really easy for companies sometimes to kind of go, oh god we can do this, we can go above and beyond, we can do blah blah blah and this, that, and the other, can't they? But actually Is it what the customer wants?
Dean Hedger [00:21:26]:
Yeah. It's easy to tick the EV box and say, we've got some charges in the car park. But are those charges fit for purpose today, tomorrow, beyond? we've we've had a a lot of organizations over the few years at Vital's been operating. And, obviously, obviously, I'm I'm new to the business, but these are things I've been told where someone will put some some 22 kilowatt AC charges in, for example, but, you know, without really realizing that the vehicles only charge at 11 anyway, most of the time and sometimes even less. And then they're they're also realizing very quickly that they wish they'd gone for something quicker. and are talking to us about, you know, offering, offering faster charging equipment, more and more. So Yeah. So we we we, you know, we do our best to get it right.
Liz Allan [00:22:18]:
I was gonna say it it's also about what you're saying there is what does fit fit for purpose look like, isn't it? It's kind of getting getting the customers to recognize what fit fit for purpose actually is and getting getting the right the right equipment for the right per, you know, for the right purpose, isn't it?
Dean Hedger [00:22:41]:
That's for the purpose. yeah, for the vehicle, for the location. There's so much to to to consider, isn't there? If you if you if you're getting a charger, it's There's a load of stuff to just speed, but how fast you want it? You know, how well, how much power have you got? Question number 1, how much power have you got on-site? And then depending on what the capability is, that will then lend itself to the type of charger's speed that you can have. But then what type of vehicles have you got? what connections do you need for those vehicles? You know,
Liz Allan [00:23:15]:
Yeah. Yeah.
Dean Hedger [00:23:17]:
Do you want smart technology on the charges, or do you do not need that payment systems? You know, what brand you want? It's not It's not straightforward. It's not straightforward. But then Vital make it straightforward. So there we go.
Liz Allan [00:23:35]:
I was gonna say, and actually it sounds like you're really getting your teeth into this, which is good.
Dean Hedger [00:23:41]:
Yeah. And and I suppose, like I said, My learning is about power. I'm comfortable with how it gets from the charges to the car or the van or the truck. but it's how it gets to the charger that's been my learning and just learning about voltage and currents and, you know, some stuff that I'll never fully get my head around, but I certainly got in 4 months a better grasp than I had when I walked in the doors, for sure.
Liz Allan [00:24:10]:
Go on. Tell me tell me some of you tell me some of your learnings then because you're probably going to teach me. I mean there's some bits that I know about but but tell me some of the stuff you've learned then come on.
Dean Hedger [00:24:20]:
It's finding things
Liz Allan [00:24:21]:
out
Dean Hedger [00:24:21]:
like most trucks most trucks will need 800 volts to charge. Most cars will need.
Liz Allan [00:24:27]:
Right. Okay. 400
Dean Hedger [00:24:29]:
volts to charge. And, you know, that's obviously built into the systems that are on those vehicles, but, you know, could sell a charger with a 400 volt capability to a truck manufacturer, and we've got a problem because that's not gonna work. And and that voltage is speed. Voltage is just speed. It's how fast it travels from the, you know, from the, through the pylons in the sky, down to the substations, down to the workplaces, and down to homes, and where it all gets stepped down. I mean, it's basic stuff. to those that know it, but but but but not when you don't. And also understanding the kind
Liz Allan [00:25:10]:
of -- Exactly.
Dean Hedger [00:25:12]:
that those KVA ratings where someone will have a KVA rating on the site, maybe 500, maybe 600, maybe
Liz Allan [00:25:19]:
200,
Dean Hedger [00:25:21]:
and then you will calculate the kilowatt charge available from your charger, you know, based on that higher KBA number, in terms of what is capable, and that's that's an equation. I think from memory -- Right.
Liz Allan [00:25:36]:
Tell me.
Dean Hedger [00:25:37]:
you divide it by 1.4, but it could be
Liz Allan [00:25:41]:
1. What does KVA stand for? Sorry. People who are listening and watching and think, god, why does she not know these things? what does KVA stand for?
Dean Hedger [00:25:48]:
Do you know what? I can't remember. It's killer.
Liz Allan [00:25:53]:
We'll be googling it. We'll be googling a, don't worry. We're not I'm not expecting this this isn't mastermind or question time. Don't worry. I shall add KVA as well. Work out what that is. It's kilo. Got it.
Dean Hedger [00:26:05]:
Got it. It's kilo volts. It's kilo volts.
Liz Allan [00:26:08]:
Kilo volts. Right. Okay. You see, I could have sat here and just pretended I knew what you were talking about. but as I didn't, I just thought, actually, I'm gonna ask you question. So sorry for her. We'll put you on the spot there, Dean, but --
Dean Hedger [00:26:23]:
Just one of those
Liz Allan [00:26:24]:
ones that
Dean Hedger [00:26:26]:
you've got k and you obviously got the k w for kilowatts. And there is a calculation where and it's either you divide them by you divide it by 1.4or1.8. and that will give you the capability of your site. So then you know if we're putting in 50 kilowatt charges, how many how many they can have.
Liz Allan [00:26:48]:
That one.
Dean Hedger [00:26:49]:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Liz Allan [00:26:51]:
Fabulous. See, this is at I would say doing this podcast every day is a school day for me. Honest, I'm learning. I am learning so much. It's the same as I mean, you know, like you said, in your last in your 3, 4 months that you've been there, all these things that you're learning, you know, and I know it's difficult, isn't it, actually, when you've just learned something to actually enunciate it or, you know, kind of to somebody else, but but yeah, I think it's --
Dean Hedger [00:27:18]:
It's good when it comes up.
Liz Allan [00:27:20]:
Brilliant. Find this out. And you
Dean Hedger [00:27:21]:
have to apply it. But we've got, like I said, project managers. We've got electrical systems engineers that all know this stuff. like, in their sleep. And obviously, there's the team of engineers that are out in the field doing this work all the time. So I'm always working really closely with them when I get the stats off of location. So they'll go out and they'll do they'll go and do the site survey. They'll go do the site survey. they'll get all the key numbers that they can understand about that site fed back into the system. That'll come back out to me. We can then look at applicable charges, before any quote goes back to the customer, I'll go back to the systems engineers to make sure we get the cabling right. So everything in terms of the materials needed, put it into the system, into the ground, is included, and, you know, that kicks off the project. So it's not
Liz Allan [00:28:21]:
Yeah.
Dean Hedger [00:28:22]:
Anyone person, you know, designing the solution. There there there's a few of us get involved.
Liz Allan [00:28:31]:
So so how I was going to say, so how many people work at Vital then? How many of you got there?
Dean Hedger [00:28:38]:
about 60 across the group now.
Liz Allan [00:28:41]:
Okay. Okay.
Dean Hedger [00:28:43]:
So
Liz Allan [00:28:43]:
isn't So there's there's there's a fair few and I mean I'm assuming because you're you're a base remote based anyway, aren't you? Because the offices are in Coventry and that you're down down near Brightnite, aren't you?
Dean Hedger [00:28:55]:
Yeah. I'm up there. I'm up there most weeks. I would say most most weeks, for at night, and then have have customers into visit. and, you know, go through the solutions that are available. yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So that's good.
Liz Allan [00:29:12]:
is. It's it's it's really --
Dean Hedger [00:29:16]:
Sorry. I was gonna say it's about
Liz Allan [00:29:17]:
2 a half what? Sorry.
Dean Hedger [00:29:18]:
About 2 a half, Patrick.
Liz Allan [00:29:20]:
Right. Okay. Okay. So in your, obviously, like you say, like you you're you're learning so much What is it that actually, that when you started at Vital you just thought this this is I'm I'm because it sounds like you're really enjoying it so far.
Dean Hedger [00:29:43]:
Yeah. Yeah.
Liz Allan [00:29:43]:
Yeah. You know, what what is it that made you all of a sudden all of a sudden think god. Yeah. I really I'm getting into this. I'm loving it.
Dean Hedger [00:29:51]:
I think it's because the need for the the charging infrastructure to grow. So having had a very long career in the automotive industry, to then get the opportunity to be heavily involved in probably its biggest change for a 100 years is is exciting. Yeah. Yeah. You know, and so and I've always had roles in sales. So to be selling something that there is a massive need for is is fantastic, you know, is is is something I'm really enjoying doing. But like I said to you, it's finding us sorry. Let's go. No. It's just finding the right opportunities because they've just come there's so many coming through. Yeah. Just finding finding and doing and doing, you know, and and working on the, the bigger kind of project based stuff that's coming up.
Liz Allan [00:30:58]:
And I was going to say because I mean, looking looking at the growth of the the charging infrastructure, I mean, there's there has been in, you know, we we've talked about it before we started recording, didn't we? You know, there's there's there are there is a lot of negativity around charge in and and you know and it and it does frustrate me a little bit being kind of you know It's not as if I've been around this sector for a long time, it's probably about 12 months now. And And actually, so as as somebody who's come from the outside and started looking in and and and talking to people like yourself, and it doesn't take a long time to actually research the good things and and what frustrates me the most and I don't know whether you feel like this Dean, but and and and like we said, you know, people are entitled to their opinions, but actually it's about researching the information that they're hearing to see, well, is that the is that is that kind of a balanced is is that a balanced opinion? What, you know, is this really true about all of this say this to my son, my son's kind of seventeen and I kind of say to him when he talks to me about various news articles and I've said, you know, Where are you getting that information from? Is it trusted? Is it is it a balanced source? You know, because especially for youngsters, you know, growing up, it's kind of one of those he'll hate me saying growing up because that's how he just thinks that's awful. but, you know, for for people, for for sort of teenagers growing, you know, as they get older, sort of hearing the news and recognizing and they need to recognize and understand what is balanced. I don't know what your thoughts are on I don't mean about teenagers because I don't know whether you've got a teenager, but, you know, about about that negativity that's out there.
Dean Hedger [00:32:55]:
I've got twenty year old in it. an eighteen year old. So we've been through that, teenage cycle. But I know I know what you mean. It's it's it's sorting out the facts from the fiction, isn't it, in terms of what they hear? And there's an awful lot of ways to find out information now, isn't there? With with the internet sprouting the legs that it has with social media, video sites like YouTube, and TikTok. it's It's relentless, isn't it? Where where where you're getting all this information from? And people just believe what they they do. They just believe what they see and what they they read. I'm a big believer I think in in in in maybe, you know, trying things for yourself. So if you do get people around the electric vehicle, you know, selection and people choosing a car and you know, it's not right for everybody at this point in time. electric vans won't work for everyone. Yeah. Cost wise, practicality wise, it's certainly practicality wise one with Evans, And and also with with e trucks, you know, we're seeing with e trucks. Lots of applications for for inner city, short distance, you know, refuse collection, multi drop, that kind of stuff, where it's working absolutely fine. But to try and drive the length and breadth of the country, electric truck is gonna be a struggle right now. and it's just about acknowledging that the limitations are not trying to apply them in a in a false scenario that will just never work anyway.
Liz Allan [00:34:43]:
yeah.
Dean Hedger [00:34:44]:
So it's but it's very much about you know, trialing. Most people I know that have tried an electric car have enjoyed the drive, Absolutely. some brands might struggle more on the motorway than others. and you need to you need to weigh that up in your in your considerations of what's right for you at what time. Yeah. Yeah.
Liz Allan [00:35:06]:
Yeah. Exactly. And and like we say, you know, kind of over the next few years, hopefully the cost of EVs will come down. I mean, we've note, I've noticed that the secondhand car market for certain for certain vehicles has actually started dropping and and actually I was talking talking recently to somebody about you know kind of we've never bought a brand new car I brought one one before I moved down from Halifax in 1995. That was the first time I bought brand new car. and obviously the depreciation was massive at that point. But so look at actually understanding the used car market for EVs has become quite important to us because actually we don't need to buy a brand new car. You know, I'm quite happy having one that's a couple of years old You know what I mean? So so, you know, I think people need to kind of just start looking start looking to the used market as well and then hopefully hopefully things will start changing with regards to cost and like I say and sort of price parity and and and everything like that over the next over the next few years, fingers crossed anyway.
Dean Hedger [00:36:16]:
My my wife's next car will definitely be a used EV. at the moment, she's got a little fee at 500 that's probably getting on for what about eight years old now, eight years, nine years old. And when that has become beyond, you know, economical operation, we will definitely change to, a a used EV, probably a one of the early
Liz Allan [00:36:38]:
-- Yeah.
Dean Hedger [00:36:40]:
nissan, you know, Nissan leaves or or Reno Zaris, but I think a key consideration is around battery capability, and it seems that the degradation that people talk about, oh, they're only the last 10 years or 7 years. That doesn't seem to be true. There's there's some Teslas that, you know, that I've seen some articles on only this week talking about minimal impact on the charge capability. It's talking about, you know, once it could charge to 225. Now it charges to 175, and it's ten years old. And the text got better since then. So, hopefully, that's a bit of a misenoma. time will tell. But
Liz Allan [00:37:20]:
-- Yeah. I'd I'd agree, and I think we need to probably talk to you turk about that, don't we? But I I I agree and I've heard I've heard some vehicles have got to like 200,000 and they've lost their their only kind of it's sort of degraded by about 1 or 2%. You know, so so I actually I just It's not. It's not. It it is just it's it's fun, isn't it, really? Really? It's it's fear uncertainty and doubt, and and the and the thing that kind of bothers me is that people jump on the bandwagon with the FUD. You know, for their own reasons, we would talk you know, this whole Hooha that's been going on about Rowan Atkinson's article about electric cars and all sorts of stuff like that, but There will be these people they are entitled to their opinions. I'm not saying that they're right. They should have actually done a bit more research rather than just you know, being allowed to kind of write something that wasn't necessarily, 100% correct, but, you know, it's it's it's it's It's
Dean Hedger [00:38:25]:
so it's so new, and it's changing all the time that you you you know, your facts one day, you kind of almost need to kind of research them again for the next because everything's evolved so much. And battery technology is is changing and evolving and you know, solid state batteries have been coming down the line fairly soon. So that it will it's exciting times.
Liz Allan [00:38:49]:
It is. It is. And actually, I think once once we can prove that there's a big, you know, that there's a a wider network of charge points because actually, I think there was something from Ian Johnston of Osprey on LinkedIn this morning talking about he was kind of up against you know sort of what the negativity had been happening. I think there's something like 42,000 charge points that are actually out out in, you know, out there at the moment. and they were talk it was talk also Sorry?
Dean Hedger [00:39:23]:
Public ones, is that? Public ones, isn't it?
Liz Allan [00:39:26]:
Yes. Yeah. and and he was also talking about the you know, the the figures that have been released, the negative figures about the low saying there were low numbers, but actually weren't taken into account the home charge points. you know, for the for the 60% of people or whoever's got them, there are 60% of the UK that got driveways and there are a percentage and I don't know what that percentage is of people who have got charge points. We've got a drive.
Dean Hedger [00:39:52]:
I've seen we've
Liz Allan [00:39:53]:
got we've got charge point. We haven't got any of these yet.
Dean Hedger [00:39:57]:
I've seen I've seen mix on that. I think people say 40% have got a driveway or something like that. You know, it's you you you do see on those figures, but I know Ian Ian's point was right because people don't go and charge at the public ones all the time. So that ratio of car to public charger there's not an equation that that ever really matters because they'll be charging at home? Yeah. Yeah.
Liz Allan [00:40:22]:
Yeah. I mean, the well, obviously, there are people who play.
Dean Hedger [00:40:26]:
because I I I charge at home. I'm lucky enough to have a have a home charger. and the range I get out of, the the the model 3 Tesler is the long range model is amazing. I can go to Birmingham and back with 1 20 minute charge on a on a on a supercharger. It's nothing, is it?
Liz Allan [00:40:44]:
Yeah. I stopped
Dean Hedger [00:40:46]:
I stopped for it longer than that.
Liz Allan [00:40:47]:
I know. I know it's yeah. It it's and and actually, it's all going to improve. I mean, if you think about it, the technology that there is happening at the moment. It's all changing. I mean, you know, how many people I don't know whether you can do this with ice vehicles, but how many people can precondition their car before they actually get in it? You know, in the winter, how how many people who haven't got an EV can actually you know, not have to go out with a scraper and, you know, freezing your doodars off, getting all the ice off the window, you know. And I mean, so this there's so many so many things like that that just I think people don't realize what you're actually gonna get Yeah. When you move.
Dean Hedger [00:41:39]:
And and there's loads coming.
Liz Allan [00:41:40]:
So, yeah, so it's
Dean Hedger [00:41:41]:
it China, isn't there? There's loads more affordable vehicles seems coming from China. And I think people will be driving brands that they don't know, or they'll be driving brands where they've moved from a premium to to to a brand that's maybe not regarded premium. A good example, my neighbor saw yesterday, KeyRE V Six, on her driveway, and she had a a 1 series BMW. So there you go. So she's moved from premium to Kia. you know, moving BMW to Kia.
Liz Allan [00:42:11]:
Yeah.
Dean Hedger [00:42:12]:
it's massively changing.
Liz Allan [00:42:14]:
that's that's what we're we're we're all gonna be doing. I saw at fully charged, and I know you were on a stand where you saw whether you got a chance to have a look at the the BYD Dolphin, and I was telling I was telling my friends about this BYD Dolphin, and they were like, what? They've named Akira Dolphin. And I was like, yeah, but it's really good. You know, I don't know what the price I think they were saying the price bracket that was going to come in at, but I just thought, do you know what? That's actually a nice, that's actually a nice car, and that's the aura function cat as well. I don't think they've heard of those either, but yeah, like you say, we're gonna hear lots and lots of Chinese brands that are gonna come in and they'll be start sweeping the market because they can bring in, you know, vehicles that are are kind of more within people's Joe Publix price range.
Dean Hedger [00:43:01]:
Yeah. Absolutely. No. Absolutely.
Liz Allan [00:43:06]:
So I want to ask you so we this this is I I I want to ask you this question because I'm a music fan anyway. Right? I've kind of I've sang in a band, etcetera, etcetera. People know the story a little bit. Tell me a bit about so you have a, a radio show, don't you? Tell tell us tell everybody a little bit about your radio show and how did you get involved in it?
Dean Hedger [00:43:33]:
I have an I have an eighties radio show on a Thursday night at 9 o'clock on mid sussex radio, which is a a community radio station down where I live in, in mid sussex. I've got involved. I've probably been doing it for about 6 months now. Maybe just a bit more than that, but a mate of mine had always done the Sunday show on there for about 5 years. And a gap came up and I said to
Liz Allan [00:43:59]:
him,
Dean Hedger [00:43:59]:
and he and he said to me, why do you get involved? And I was like, oh, I haven't got time. I haven't got time. but went down, had a chat with the organizers, thought, yeah, I could do this. I was a a regular listener through lockdown of a good old Gary Davis, and his 80 show that used to be on a on a Friday night on radio 2. So I thought, yeah, I'll have a password there, so it'll be fun. And, I'm about thirty odd shows in. Yeah. So, yeah, it's just it's just I think it's I've been called Alan Partridge and things like that because obviously it's community radio. You know, I've got over the uh-huh. I like doing it. It it's something to do in the local area, and my jobs have always taken me away from the local area. So it's nice to do something local, but like I said, the kids are 18 at 20 now. They've grown up a bit more. I I would I I sometimes play vinyl music down at local pub, and that's all eighties. So it was a natural fit to say, look, get on the radio and do it. So, yeah, Yeah. So the show is, is available. I think I've posted it. I posted it on LinkedIn most weeks when the show's done and, and Facebook So if you look me up, you'll find some links to the shows on SoundCloud. Have a listen and send me your request.
Liz Allan [00:45:21]:
That was what I was gonna say. It's on Sound cloud, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, it's it's totally my era. I've gotta tell you. I love I love listening.
Dean Hedger [00:45:34]:
On SoundCloud, it is cool. I think it's just on there as the 80 show.
Liz Allan [00:45:40]:
Yeah. Okay.
Dean Hedger [00:45:41]:
Yeah. It is. It is. It's If you search for the 80s show with Dino, there you go. DJ name.
Liz Allan [00:45:48]:
That's it. Dino. Oh, Dino. Love it.
Dean Hedger [00:45:57]:
That's good.
Liz Allan [00:45:57]:
Excellent. I love this. So how, how long does it take you to actually so is I can't remember. Is it an is it an hour or how long is it?
Dean Hedger [00:46:08]:
It's 9 till it's 9 till midnight on a Thursday.
Liz Allan [00:46:10]:
Oh my god. Okay.
Dean Hedger [00:46:11]:
I've done a few live. Right. But obviously, because of the time, I can record yeah, from home on them and and sort of what they call it is seg them, seg the show. And, so I'll put in the songs I want the features I've got, you know, the album of the week. there's there's other things in there like, all what the features we've got in there now. we've always got a feature on what Graham down my road wants to hear this week. That's the regular requester. We've got under the covers. stories of, songs in the eighties that were covered from previous. There's all sorts there's all sorts goes in, and, I can record it.
Liz Allan [00:46:50]:
-- Yeah. --
Dean Hedger [00:46:51]:
either either at the station or or sometimes here. So yeah.
Liz Allan [00:46:56]:
Ah, brilliant. So how long does it take you to put together then if it's 3 hours? It must take a little while.
Dean Hedger [00:47:02]:
Do you know what? It it probably takes a couple, if I'm honest, because I write my script, you know, order the songs and then do the recording. So it's probably 2, maybe 3, I sort of do it in bits and bobs sometimes. So not not not a massive amount of time, but a bit of fun. And, I will. I think in time, when I've got more time, go and do more at the station, do more live. They always want someone to cover their the breakfast in one day and then, you know, the afternoon show another, but when I'm when I've retired when I've retired, maybe there's a bit of a a future down there. linearity radio.
Liz Allan [00:47:42]:
Do you know you've inspired me on my other nosy round for my local community radio and see see what's going on? Yeah. That sounds brilliant.
Dean Hedger [00:47:51]:
There's there's no there's a there's a Facebook page called the internet radio group, I think, and there's there's loads on there. because you can do
Liz Allan [00:47:59]:
it. Okay.
Dean Hedger [00:48:00]:
There we go. I think. There we go. Look. There we go. There's there's the evidence.
Liz Allan [00:48:09]:
I can't totally see that at the moment. Was that your mic?
Dean Hedger [00:48:12]:
It was the mic. Yeah. It's just just above here on a frame.
Liz Allan [00:48:14]:
Oh my goodness.
Dean Hedger [00:48:16]:
Yeah.
Liz Allan [00:48:16]:
For anybody who's listening, that was a big mic. Oh, fabulous. Right. Well, I'm gonna check. So the inter the internet radio is kind of a nosy for that, can't I?
Dean Hedger [00:48:28]:
And if you want to listen to to mid sussex radio, it's, yeah, it's mid sussexradio.co.uk, forward slash listen. And, yeah, it's on 247. but, obviously, 9 till midnight.
Liz Allan [00:48:44]:
And it's always good. actually have a bit of an insight into into kind of what you'd you know obviously you work, what you do at work, but also what you do kind of like you know, everybody likes to have a bit of downtime. I don't seem to be getting enough downtime at the moment, so I may actually start doing a bit of music stuff myself. So good on you. I like it.
Dean Hedger [00:49:03]:
Yeah. It's all good. It's all good. Hey.
Liz Allan [00:49:05]:
Well, listen, what finally, I want you to just tell us what how to contact you. Where's the best place? to contact you if people are interested in actually having a chat with you?
Dean Hedger [00:49:18]:
right. You can get me on LinkedIn. So obviously Dean Hedger on LinkedIn. or you can email me at the the vital email address, which is Dean.hedger@vitaldash ev.co.uk. I'll give you
Liz Allan [00:49:34]:
--
Dean Hedger [00:49:34]:
Yeah. -- mobile mobile numbers, o, double 7, 42. Don't
Liz Allan [00:49:37]:
need to do that? That's fine. You don't need to do that, honestly. I don't understand.
Dean Hedger [00:49:42]:
Okay. That's fine. That's it, man. That's
Liz Allan [00:49:45]:
Well, no. I just don't want you getting banned by people.
Dean Hedger [00:49:51]:
They might ring up with requests.
Liz Allan [00:49:52]:
Okay. So
Dean Hedger [00:49:53]:
Don't ring up with requests.
Liz Allan [00:49:55]:
Well, then there might be that. What about and you've also got a YouTube channel, haven't you as well, right, vital Evie?
Dean Hedger [00:50:05]:
Vita Levy V. I've got Vita Levy TV, yeah, where you'll find series 1. And I believe, well, I know this, but, I can tell you this. Series 2 is is is in the edit. It's not in the can. It's it's the edit, as they say. That's being being dealt with now. So that'll be out soon. I'll be asking.
Liz Allan [00:50:25]:
Brilliant. Okay. So that's that's fabulous. And it's, yeah, so you've given all the details that everybody needs Please, anybody who's interested, have a chat with Dean. You don't need to ring him because he's only given half his mobile number. She's good. But you can email him and you can contact him and yeah it's been Dean, it's been really really lovely talking to you kind of talk it like I say talk it about work and a bit about your your kind of your what you do in your spare time, it's always good to find out a little bit about that. So So thank you ever so much for your time, my love.
Dean Hedger [00:51:04]:
Thanks, Liz. Nice to take part in.
Liz Allan [00:51:05]:
And listen. Yeah. It's it's great, honestly. And listen to everybody else, I just want to say thank you for watching, thank you for listening, and I'll see you next time. Bye bye now. Bye.