BT Group has begun rolling out more than 3,500 new electric vans as part of a strategy to establish the UK’s largest commercial electric vehicle fleet, the company said on Thursday. The first 750 vehicles have already been delivered, sourced via a fleet management agreement with Holman, and will be deployed by Openreach, BT’s broadband infrastructure arm.
The initial batch includes electric vans from manufacturers such as Toyota, Stellantis, Renault and Ford, with a large number of Toyota Proace Electric, Vauxhall Vivaro Electric, and Vauxhall Combo Electric models already in service. The vehicles will support Openreach’s operations, including fibre installation, network maintenance, and infrastructure development across the UK.
The latest order is expected to bring BT Group’s total electric fleet to nearly 8,000 EVs, up from the current 4,300. The move aligns with the telecoms firm’s commitment to decarbonisation and supports its broader transition to a low-emissions vehicle strategy.
Holman, which began managing BT’s fleet of over 37,000 vehicles in September 2023, is overseeing the procurement, financing, and rollout of the EVs. It is also delivering handover training to help BT engineers adapt to electric vehicle usage. The company expects most of the vans to operate on a seven-year lifecycle, during which it will manage servicing, maintenance, and the phased retirement of BT’s internal combustion engine vehicles.
“It’s been our task to ensure that when these vans start work, everything is in place for them to succeed and for drivers to have everything they need so there is no drop-off in operational capability,” said Nimesh Chauhan, Customer Success Director at Holman. “BT Group’s footprint is vast, covering the breadth of the UK, which is why we’re working at grassroots level with vehicle users in every corner of the country to make sure that we continue to innovate, and meet their ever-changing needs.”
The transition underscores BT’s ambition to lead in fleet electrification while maintaining operational resilience across its nationwide broadband network infrastructure.