In this episode of the EV Café Takeaway, hosts John Curtis and Paul Kirby sit down with Taco Olthoff, Director of the Electric Vehicle Unit at Bridgestone Webfleet. From his beginnings as a saxophonist and former bankruptcy lawyer, Taco shares his unique journey into the world of EV fleet management. Discover how his passion for building and creating drives innovation at Webfleet, helping fleet managers navigate the electrification transition. Taco discusses the importance of staying curious, ov...
Nov 27, 2024•47 min•Ep. 90
Join hosts John Curtis and Sara Sloman in this insightful episode as they sit down with Matt Adams, Transport Policy Manager at the Renewable Energy Association (REA). Discover how the REA advocates for over 500 companies in the renewable energy sector and plays a pivotal role in shaping EV policy. Matt shares his journey from studying politics to influencing EV infrastructure and discusses the challenges of implementing public charge point regulations. Gain valuable insights into the future of ...
Nov 20, 2024•46 min•Ep. 89
Join John Curtis and Paul Kirby as they sit down with the multifaceted Rick Parfitt Jr—musician, racing champion, and electric vehicle enthusiast. Rick shares his exhilarating journey from the racetrack to the stage, revealing how his passion for cars evolved from classic engines to electric powerhouses like his Porsche Taycan. Dive into Rick’s insights on sustainability, the future of EV technology, and how electric vehicles have seamlessly integrated into his high-octane lifestyle. Plus, hear ...
Nov 13, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 88
In this episode, Naomi Nye of Drax Energy Solutions shares her transformative journey from finance to a leadership role in EV infrastructure, blending technical expertise with a customer-focused mindset. Naomi reflects on how early personal hardships, like a serious accident at sixteen, taught her resilience and shaped her proactive, collaborative approach. With Drax, Naomi advances renewable, flexible energy solutions tailored for EV transitions, emphasising the importance of decarbonisation an...
Nov 06, 2024•54 min•Ep. 87
Dr. Isobel Sheldon OBE, a self-taught pioneer in battery technology, has dedicated her career to advancing sustainable transportation and cleaner air. Driven by childhood asthma and a fascination with electric vehicles, she broke into battery engineering without a traditional Ph.D., instead receiving an honorary doctorate recognising her lifelong contributions. Her journey spans early plug-in hybrids to today’s cutting-edge EV batteries, where she pushes for efficiency, supply chain resilience, ...
Oct 30, 2024•50 min•Ep. 86
Jess Shanahan takes us through her exciting career spanning motorsport and journalism, up to recently becoming a team principal in the E-Scooter Championship. After a transformative 2,500-mile EV road trip, Jess transitioned into the e-mobility space, focusing on sustainability and combating EV misinformation. Now, as the head of RM Electric, she blends her motorsport experience with her passion for clean transport. Jess Shanahan https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessshanahan/ Jet Social https://www.j...
Oct 23, 2024•55 min•Ep. 85
Join Paul Kirby and John Curtis as they welcome Adam Hall, Director of Energy Services at Drax. They explore how Drax has evolved from traditional coal power generation to pioneering sustainable biomass energy solutions. Adam discusses Drax Electric Vehicles’ comprehensive services, offering businesses a full turnkey solution for fleet electrification—from vehicle suitability assessments to long-term charge point operation and maintenance. The conversation delves into the challenges of decarboni...
Oct 16, 2024•45 min•Ep. 84
In this episode of The EV Café Takeaway, hosts Paul and John chat with Alec Peachey, founder of the popular industry news website Transport and Energy and annual event Transport & Energy Forum. Alec shares his journey from local journalism to uniting the transport and energy sectors. After facing redundancy during the pandemic, he turned challenges into opportunities, fostering collaboration in traditionally siloed industries. Alec discusses the importance of education, combating misinformat...
Oct 09, 2024•49 min•Ep. 83
Join hosts Paul Kirby and John Curtis as they sit down with Colin Boyton from GreenFleet, one of the masterminds behind the EV Rally. Colin shares the inspiring story of how he pioneered the EV Rally of Scotland during COP26 and grew it into a major event showcasing electric vehicle capabilities and infrastructure across the UK. Beyond his professional achievements, Colin opens up about his personal journey overcoming addiction and health challenges, highlighting the resilience and passion that ...
Oct 02, 2024•58 min•Ep. 82
Join Sara Sloman as she sits down with Guinness World Record holders Sam Clarke, Kevin Booker, and Richard Parker. Discover how Sam and Kevin achieved not one but two EV world records: the longest journey by an electric vehicle on a single charge and the greatest distance traveled by an electric van. Learn about the meticulous planning, efficient driving techniques, and cutting-edge telematics from Webfleet that made this possible. The team shares their insights on maximising EV range, overcomin...
Sep 25, 2024•40 min•Ep. 81
We were lucky enough to be joined by Mike Cutts of Iveco, Stewart Murphy of Royal Mail and Paul McCormack of Decarbon Logistics to discuss the growing area of zero emission deliveries and last mile deliveries in particular. From Postman Pat to the Iveco eDaily, there is something here for everyone! The chat was steered by Jonny Berry ably supported by Paul Kirby, Sam Clarke, and Sara Sloman. Watch the video here: https://www.evcafe.org/videos/last-mile-ebikes-cargo-bikes-and-small-evs Mike Cutts...
Sep 18, 2024•57 min•Ep. 80
Adrian Fielden-Gray shares his journey as co-founder of Be.EV, a customer-focused CPO, highlighting the importance of humility in business leadership. Adrian discusses the balance he and his partner, Asif Ghafoor , bring to the table, emphasising their complementary strengths and shared vision. He reflects on how their tenacity and commitment to supporting employees through shared successes have helped them navigate the challenges of startup life. Adrian attributes his drive to his upbringing an...
Sep 11, 2024•57 min•Ep. 79
In this special episode, Richard Parker and James Dewhurst from Webfleet join to discuss their data-focused contributions to the GreenFleet EV Rally. Covering 1,500 miles across diverse vehicles, the rally provided key insights into EV performance, particularly in challenging real-world scenarios. The episode looks at the importance of refining EV data for better fleet management, improving driver behaviour, and ultimately making EV adoption smoother. Both guests advocate for clearer government ...
Sep 04, 2024•45 min•Ep. 78
Jackie Barker, OEM Strategy Director at Keyloop and 2024 Woman of the Year, joins the discussion. Jackie shares her journey in the automotive industry, emphasising the importance of diversity, inclusivity, and mentorship. She highlights how she has transformed her team to achieve gender balance and advocates for creating opportunities for women in automotive. Jackie also opens up about her personal life, including being a single mother of three boys and a guardian to two more, co-parenting, and ...
Aug 28, 2024•51 min•Ep. 77
Not a normal EV Café Takeaway today as we are just lining up the next episode. Today we get to delve into the archives of a brilliant, fun, and moving chat with a guy called David Beeney. You’ll remember that the EV Café absolutely stand on the importance of mental health, with both John Curtis and Paul Kirby being mental health first aiders, and David Beeney brings this subject to life, as he is an expert in this arena and he shares his own personal journey and how it meant so much as he transi...
Aug 21, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 76
The EV Café’s own Richie Martin delves into his journey from organising The Installer Show to becoming a driving force in the electrification and sustainability space. He opens up about the personal losses that shaped his resilience, and how early experiences of adversity fueled his passion for connecting with people. Richie shares his love for angling as a surprising outlet for recharging, and discusses his dedication to helping others succeed through meticulous planning and execution. Richie M...
Aug 14, 2024•53 min•Ep. 75
Mark Pierce, Data and AI Engineering Lead at Hydrock (recently acquired Stantec), delves into his work optimising net-zero strategies using AI and big data. He addresses AI fears, emphasising its role in enhancing jobs, not replacing them. Mark shares his career journey from a Tesco employee to an engineer driven by sustainability and influenced by his family’s engineering background. He highlights projects integrating green energy, such as balancing battery infrastructure with solar energy. Mar...
Aug 07, 2024•54 min•Ep. 74
Kirsty Robinson from Stewart Signs delves into the company’s innovative approach to sustainable vehicle livery. Stewart Signs, with over 60 years of experience, focuses on environmentally friendly materials and processes, ensuring long-lasting, vibrant graphics for fleets. Kirsty shares insights on the importance of matching the right materials to vehicle usage, the impact of technology like 3D scanning, and their commitment to sustainability from production to disposal. Personal anecdotes revea...
Jul 31, 2024•43 min•Ep. 73
In this episode, Tom Middleditch, Head of Electric Mobility at Europcar UK, shares insights on Europcar’s pioneering efforts in the EV rental market. Tom discusses the company’s role in promoting electric vehicles, highlighting Europcar’s commitment to educating customers and providing flexible rental options. He also emphasises the importance of practical experience with EVs to drive adoption and how Europcar’s initiatives, like being the Official Vehicle Partner of the EV Rally, help gather re...
Jul 24, 2024•53 min•Ep. 72
Abby Middleton from Schneider Electric shares her journey from the cheese industry to e-mobility, highlighting her passion for sustainability and human-centric solutions. Abby talks to JC and Paul about the importance of reliable EV infrastructure, especially for fleets and logistics, aiming for long-term sustainability beyond 2035. She reflects on personal challenges, including battling cancer, which shaped her resilience and people-focused leadership. Abby advocates for holistic, connected sol...
Jul 17, 2024•48 min•Ep. 71
JC and Paul chat with Dr. Angus Webb, CEO and founder of Dynamon, who discusses the company’s journey and innovations in EV transition for commercial transport fleets. Dynamon’s advanced software enables precise planning by connecting fleet data to EV data, making the transition efficient and cost-effective. Dr. Webb shares his passion for problem-solving and how his experience working in sports science and data analytics for Team GB during London’s 2012 Olympics helped inspire the framework for...
Jul 10, 2024•48 min•Ep. 70
Ashley Tate, MD of Allstar ChargePass, emphasises simplicity, resilience, and constant movement in business. His entrepreneurial journey began at 15 and led to founding a range of successful tech businesses. Ashley’s insights on understanding strengths, maintaining discipline, and continuous adaptation are invaluable. Ashley Tate https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-tate-738b8210/ Allstar https://allstarcard.co.uk/...
Jun 27, 2024•55 min•Ep. 69
A recording of our June 2024 webinar - Charging & Software!
Jun 24, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 68
Daniel Barnes, CCO at Bright.Blue , a division of Bright.Green , discusses the evolution and mission of the company—integrating advanced technology for parking, charging and contactless technology with advertising. With origins in smart vending solutions, the company now offers comprehensive kiosks that streamline EV charging and enhance customer experience through dynamic advertising and unattended retail. Barnes highlights their strategic partnership with Paythru, focusing on compliance, custo...
Jun 19, 2024•55 min•Ep. 67
In this episode, Paul and Sara sit down with Ben Kilbey, founder of BOLD Voodoo, a communications collaborative focusing on sustainability and clean energy. Ben shares insights from his journey, emphasising the importance of honesty and collaboration in communications. He discusses the challenges faced during his time at Britishvolt and the transition to establishing BOLD Voodoo. Ben also highlights the significance of mental health, the value of mentorship, and his commitment to raising female ...
Jun 12, 2024•52 min•Ep. 66
In this episode, George Newton from Iveco discusses his journey from growing up in a motor trade family to becoming a key figure at Iveco. He highlights the importance of sustainability, detailing how Iveco integrates battery, gas, and diesel technologies across its product range. He also shares his time in the Royal Navy, where he honed his engineering skills and gained invaluable teamwork experience. George emphasises the human element in the industry, valuing genuine connections as a key aspe...
Jun 05, 2024•47 min•Ep. 65
Chris and Julie Ramsey return to discuss their historic journey driving an electric vehicle from the North Pole to the South Pole. As the first repeat guests, they share insights from their nine-month, 23,000-mile expedition. They delve into the challenges of planning, the highs of witnessing a polar bear in the wild, and the lows of sleep deprivation and logistical hurdles. Their story is a testament to perseverance, passion, and the potential of EVs, highlighting the infrastructure they helped...
May 29, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 64
‘Vans, Trucks, and EV Lovin’ was our May 2024 webinar Watch this episode on Youtube https://youtu.be/dT2WtlFh7to
May 25, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 63
Marco Möller, CEO and co-founder of PIONIX discusses the transformative potential of open-source software in the EV charging industry. Drawing from his extensive background in physics, computer science, and startup innovation, he highlights how PIONIX and the EVerest open Source Project are creating an “Android for EV chargers,” simplifying and unifying the firmware across various charging infrastructures. JC, Paul, and Marco explore the complexities of interoperability between different charger...
May 22, 2024•59 min•Ep. 62
Keith Brown delves into the transformative journey of Paythru, a leader in digital payment solutions tailored for the EV industry. Keith highlights the necessity of adapting business strategies to changing consumer behaviours and technological advancements, illustrating how Paythru pivoted to capitalise on the digital and mobile payments boom. His story underlines a relentless pursuit of innovation, focusing on simplifying the EV charging experience and making electronic payments as inconspicuou...
May 15, 2024•53 min•Ep. 61
