ezooadmin - EZOO

We’ve Been Nominated for EV Advocate of the Year

We are proud to announce that we have been nominated by Automotive Management for the EV Advocate of the Year.

We find ourselves in esteemed company, with nominations for the likes of Volkswagen UK, Nissan UK, Devonshire Motor Company, and Luscombe’s – all of whom have been absolutely instrumental in bringing awareness of EVs to the forefront.

The AM Awards ceremony takes place on Thursday 2nd May at Park Plaza, Westminster Bridge in London.

Our journey so far

Our own journey to EV advocacy started in earnest in late 2015 when we collected the very first Tesla Model X. Driving it home from Solihull, we realised that this was a car that could seat 7 people in comfort, be as quick as any Porsche 911, and yet be almost completely silent.

This was the moment that sparked our electric mission.

Upon trying to encourage people to choose an electric car, we soon found that people were not engaging in the conversation as they were content with their ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) car.

Our challenge became how to convince them to transition from fossil fuel cars to the new world of electric mobility.

Continuing EV advocacy

We realised that there were so many questions and fears that people had which were stopping them from committing to this new technology – if we could just give them the opportunity to try it out, maybe they would be convinced.

We realised that if we could let people take an electric car for just a month, and include insurance, maintenance, and breakdown cover, simply leaving them to ‘charge and drive’ for a single monthly payment, this would be a huge opportunity to increase the uptake of electric cars.

To provide this seamless service for our customers, we had to spend a lot of time getting the important pieces of the puzzle lined up, including insurance, maintenance, and technology.

Despite launching in the depths of the Covid Lockdown, we’ve grown our fleet to hundreds of electric only cars, as well as growing our team with our HQ in Coventry and a hub in Glasgow.

Our refined online process now allows consumers and businesses to choose their car, choose the term, and book a delivery to their door!

Since we have added Salary Sacrifice which allows savings of 30-60% on the price of an electric car, business has continued to grow and attract attention from all areas.

The future

We’re enormously grateful to receive this nomination and to be placed into a category with businesses that have done so much to further EV exposure.

No matter the result, we’re incredibly excited to see what the future holds for us as a business and the EV industry as a whole.

If you’re interested in learning more about our electric car range, or anything we’ve covered in this piece, you can get in touch with us by dropping us an email at [email protected], or giving us a call on 0845 833 3200.

Examining the challenge of the rising cost of insurance and the impact on EV uptake

Transport + Energy recently posted a quote from the Insurance Industry on Linkedin that ‘Insurance claim rates are “key” to controlling EV premiums’.

This appears to be a very obvious comment considering that consumers and business owners do their utmost to control their policies, as they know that if they make a claim their premium will increase upon renewal.

The insurance industry in the UK is long overdue for a complete overhaul, it is an industry that is reactive rather than proactive, and is quite happy to rely on the status quo.

This is very similar to the traditional automotive industry, which is now on the verge of being overtaken by the Chinese OEMs entering the UK market.

The background of the automotive insurance industry

The Insurance Industry appears to take direct aim at EV’s being responsible for the rise in cost of premiums, citing EV repairs being more expensive than traditional ICE cars.

Yet the facts highlight the following attributes lead to more claims than the number of accidents and damage involving EVs, such as:

- The theft of ICE cars (particularly Range Rovers)
- Young drivers involved in accidents
- Expensive parts such as catalytic converters being stolen by thieves

As a direct result of these mis-aligned reports of EVs being expensive to repair, the scaremongering is leading to consumers being further led astray by traditional car dealers who push ICE car sales rather than highlighting the benefits of zero emission electric cars.

This will partly be addressed by the Chinese OEMs who will bring lower priced EVs to the market which will be in direct price comparisons to ICE models hence, making the ownership of EVs much cheaper than ICE cars.

Meanwhile, the insurance industry must go back to the start to reimagine the future with fresh thinking to align its offering with today’s consumers and their requirements.

Flexibility is the key, they need to step into the present to get into a world where consumer requirements, digital operation, speed of action, and flexibility are all entwined with being proactive in an ever changing industry.

What is increasing insurance costs?

One of the biggest drain on resources and hence the root cause of the policy cost can be attributed to the time it takes for insurance companies to settle claims.

This has been a problem for insurers, and indeed consumers, for some time, since many claims rely on circumstantial evidence and witness accounts.

But how can this be remedied with EVs?

We believe there are several ways this can mitigated by the increase of EVs on our roads for several reasons:

The use of OEM vehicle data and after-market telematics – this can help to determine accident fault and would decrease the time taken to settle claims.
On Street Connected Data centres – the UK has one the world’s best surveillance systems and is connected in every way, from traffic light automation to CCTV on virtually every corner.
First Notice of Incident/Accident reporting – this could be stipulated in the policy and failure to report with a given time would lead to failure of the claim.

The above would allow the insurance industry to move into the 21st Century and be in the same space as today’s consumers and businesses.

What is being done about EV uptake?

All of the above can be tied into the Environment and Climate Change Committee paper issued recently House of Lords – EV strategy: rapid recharge needed – Environment and Climate Change Committee (parliament.uk)

This lengthy paper highlights that the progress is not happening fast enough in part due to the misinformation in the market about EVs and the anxiety that consumers face as a result of unfounded concerns about safety, reliability and affordability.

The committee has called for the Government to do more and do so quickly, which puts the onus back on the Private Sector, one of which is the Insurance Industry who should take the bull by the horns and push forward with decisive action.

The first move should be to digitise the insurance policy allowing customers to report accidents via their mobile phones, to allow every policy to have a digital link that the customer could have in their phone as a contact allowing them to call, and text or email send images of an accident.

This one action alone would have a tremendous effect for the insurance sector as would have a chain reaction as follows:

Make the customer interactive in the accident claim process rather than being a by-stander and completing endless forms and statements
It would speed up the process for claims for the insurer
Reduce the time to settle claims
Reduce the cost of premiums
Improve customer satisfaction levels

At EZOO, we deal with all of the car subscription insurance to ensure the customer doesn’t need to deal with the hassle that comes with it.

If you’re interested in learning more about our electric car range, or anything we’ve covered in this piece, you can get in touch with us by dropping us an email at [email protected], or giving us a call on 0845 833 3200.

Pledge to Net Zero Report

At EZOO, we have been working diligently with Pledge to Net Zero, with the aim of decreasing our carbon footprint by 42%, thereby ensuring Net Zero for our business by 2030.

The Pledge to Net Zero report, which you can download here, details our carbon footprint, our commitments and the targets which have been set for the business to progress to Net Zero.

In this blog, we’ll explain what our goals are, how we intend to achieve Net Zero by 2030 and what information you can find in the latest report.

Business background

At EZOO, we understand that the way consumers own and operate their vehicles is changing rapidly towards an electric future.

This has been exacerbated by fuel prices reaching a ten month high back in September 2023 (with more volatility expected), emissions scandals, and the increase of available choices when it comes to affordable and efficient EV vehicles.

EZOO was founded in 2012 by Lash and Charnjit Saranna, who had themselves made the important decision to switch to EV’s after spending more than three decades in the motor trade, growing Europe’s biggest independent Porsche dealership.

From the beginning, their objective was to create awareness and education around the benefits of switching to an affordable, flexible and customisable Pay as You Go electric car subscription model.

Net Zero ambitions & goals

We wholeheartedly believe in protecting the environment for future generations, and our major goal as a business is to tackle the causes of climate change and increasing local air pollution.

To do this, we must ensure that our day-to-day operations leave the smallest possible carbon footprint to do our part to protect the world around us from the catastrophic impacts of climate change.

To put our commitment into action, we signed up with the Pledge to Net-Zero back in 2019, and it is our objective to become net-zero by 2030.

In addition to regular sustainability reports, we have devised three core business goals to ensure we’re thinking sustainably in everything we do:

Identify and implement initiatives that reduce our carbon footprint, and increase our efficiency as an organisation.
Be recognised as a company that cares about the environment and is taking proactive measures to protect it.
Encourage other companies to follow suit.

These business goals will be used as a guide to prioritise emissions reduction initiatives in the drive to attain the newly created targets.

Our progress so far

In the 12 months from 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023 (the reporting period), we had a total direct carbon footprint of 4,153kg CO2e. This is an 11% reduction compared to the previous 12 months.

In this reporting period we also purchased an additional 78 vehicles and our sales increased by 40%. However, we were still able to decrease emissions, which is great news.

Our carbon emissions came from two primary sources:

Electricity purchased for charging our electric vehicles offsite – when we charge vehicles at the office we are using renewable energy. However, offsite charging cannot always be zero carbon. We charged considerably more vehicles on the road in 2023, so these emissions have increased by 30%
Gas consumption for heating the office – we used 20% less gas this year compared to the previous year, therefore emissions reduced by 20%

The Net Zero by 2030 Report

This report was written by sustainability consultant Barnaby King, who has been commissioned by EZOO to support our path toward Net Zero.

This report contains details of our baseline carbon footprint and the targets which have been set out for Scope 1, 2 and 3.

You can download the full report in PDF form right here.

If you’re interested in learning more about our electric car range, or our commitment to Net Zero, you can get in touch with us by dropping us an email at [email protected], or giving us a call on 0845 833 3200.

Our EV fleet now travels more than one million miles a year

Our fleet of over 150 electric vehicles now travels more than 1 million miles a year, supporting the transition from combustion to electric.

As car ownership changes, fuel prices continue to rise – and with manufacturers filling the forecourts with new EV models fresh off the production line, now is the time to make the switch to electric power.

In 2012, EZOO founders Lash and Charnjit Saranna made that very same switch – bringing with them 30 years of automotive experience that included building and growing Europe’s largest independent Porsche centre.

From day one, the goal has been to bring awareness and education around the switch from combustion to electric, to create what EZOO prides itself on today – affordable, flexible, and customisable Pay As You Go electric car subscription service – built to make the shift to electric power as easy as possible.

This piece has been written by Barnaby King, a sustainability consultant who has been commissioned by EZOO to support our overall journey to Net Zero.

Tailpipe emissions

EZOO has grown significantly in the past three years. Our fleet has grown from 18 vehicles in 2021, to 155 vehicles today. The more vehicles we have, the more we can support others to transition to electrified transport, and ultimately the more carbon emissions can be saved.

In the financial year 2022-23, our customers travelled over 1.3 million miles in electric vehicles leased from us. Reducing tailpipe emissions* by nearly 350 tonnes of CO2e (compared to an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle).

To give you an idea, 350 tonnes of carbon emissions saved annually is equivalent to:

Carbon sequestration by 18,500 mature oak trees, covering an area of approximately 22 football fields.
The energy saved by using 4,800 solar panels, covering an area of approximately 10 football pitches (in the UK in 2023).

Of course, not every business has space to install solar panels or land to grow trees.

Most businesses rely on petrol or diesel vehicles for part of their operations, be it for logistics, maintenance, or staff commuting. By switching these vehicles to electric, they can significantly reduce their carbon footprint.

*Tailpipe emissions are those emitted at the point of use. They include emissions from the combustion of petrol and diesel in combustion vehicles. The carbon emissions resulting from the electricity consumed in EVs are not tailpipe emissions.

What about the electricity used to charge EVs?

A medium petrol or diesel vehicle emits a staggering 280 grams of carbon for every mile travelled. Electricity for EVs is responsible for just 77 grams per mile, less than 30% of a petrol or diesel equivalent (assuming they are charged from UK grid electricity), according to the UK Government’s emissions factors report for 2023.

The carbon intensity of EVs can be reduced further, or even removed entirely by installing solar panels and intelligent EV charge points and/or purchasing electricity from a green energy supplier.

What about the emissions used to manufacture EVs?

EVs indeed require more carbon to manufacture. However, peer-reviewed Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)** overwhelmingly concludes that the carbon savings across the life of an EV offset the additional carbon required in manufacturing.

Greencap recently published the LCA for 62 petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric vehicles. The results show that EVs always have lower life cycle carbon emissions than equivalent petrol or diesel vehicles.

**Life Cycle Analysis is an academic calculation methodology which considers the carbon emitted throughout the vehicle’s entire life. Starting with supply chains for rural materials and ending with the recycling of the vehicle.

EZOO reduces carbon emissions today, not tomorrow

We all know how critical the climate emergency is, the warning signs are everywhere. In 2023 the UN secretary general, António Guterres, said this about the latest IPCC report:

“This report is a clarion call to massively fast-track climate efforts by every country and every sector and on every timeframe. Our world needs climate action on all fronts: everything, everywhere, all at once.”

EZOO enables companies and individuals to switch to electric vehicles today, not tomorrow. Slashing carbon emissions and local air pollution while making the process as convenient and low-risk as possible, so companies can get on with running their businesses and people can get on with their lives with complete peace of mind.

Why is it so important to take action today?

A lot of the focus on the climate emergency is placed on ‘point-in-time’ targets. I.e. The UK has committed to cut annual emissions by 78% by 2035. However, these targets do not accurately communicate what is needed.

Carbon dioxide accumulates in the atmosphere year after year, increasing the greenhouse effect and warming our planet. 2035 is no more important than 2034 and so on. The carbon budget is a far better metric to track progress.

The carbon budget sets a limit on the total cumulative carbon emissions that can be emitted, while keeping the global temperature below a certain level.

According to an analysis by the Global Carbon Project, to keep global warming to below 1.5 Degrees (we now only have a 50% at doing so) we have just 9 years of 2022 global emissions left in the budget.

That means, if global emissions remain at the highs we saw in 2022, in 9 years we will have spent all the carbon budget and the 1.5-degree threshold is likely to be exceeded.

Acting as soon as possible is critically important when it comes to keeping within these carbon budgets.

For example, let’s say a business has a fleet of 100 diesel vehicles which travel about one million miles a year and emit about 300 tonnes of CO2 annually.

The company has set a target to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030. As part of their action plan, they want to replace all their vehicles with electric equivalents. If the company waits until 2030 to switch to electric vehicles, they will have technically met their target.

However, 1,800 tonnes of CO2 will be added to the atmosphere between 2024 and 2030 and these emissions make a dent in the carbon budget. If they decide to make the switch in 2024, the majority of these emissions can be avoided.

So what are you waiting for?

Reduce your carbon footprint today and go electric with EZOO’s Pay As You Go Electric. The steps are simple:

Choose your car.
Choose your term.
Delivered to your door.

Our system is built to remove long waiting times. We make the switch to EV straightforward, so we choose to deal with the insurance, maintenance and road tax ourselves, saving you the hassle.

Our system is run online – but if that’s not for you, or you’re not sure what the subscription entails, or perhaps you just want to learn more about electric cars, a member of our expert team will always be on hand to guide you.

EZOO is a family business, which means we understand the values of trust and honesty, which is why we’ve driven every car in our fleet, to ensure we know every car inside out.

To get in touch with us, drop us an email at [email protected], or don’t hesitate to pick up the phone on 0845 833 3200.