As a business, we’re proud to be Always Ahead. We are committed to leading the way when it comes to supporting van fleets throughout the UK. As a business with its own fleet of more than 3,000 commercial vehicles, we know how critical they are to operational efficiency and business success. Our support for our customers matters and it is there 24/7, 365 days of the year.
Winning the Green Innovation Award this year is testament to our commitment to supporting fleets wherever they are on their decarbonisation journey and seeking out real world solutions that will empower our customers’ fleets in their own transition.
We have continually invested in supporting fleets as they onboard EV vehicles. From investing in Level 2 and Level 3 EV training for our patrols to innovating with new products and services across the entire vehicle lifecycle, we are committed to pioneering solutions that will benefit our customers.
At the roadside, we offer our award-winning free-wheeling hub which enables us to tow electric vehicles, as well as onboard charging. We’re also proud to be the first UK-based roadside assistance firm to add full electric recovery vehicles to its fleet, introducing a range of ‘concept’ vehicles to its 3,000-vehicle-strong roadside assistance and recovery fleet.
Beyond roadside, through Drivetech, we offer 17 dedicated EV-focused driver training e-modules, as well as face-to-face training. Since 2020, We’ve also been providing support through our call centres for charge point operators (CPOs), launching field-based support in 2022 and now cover almost half of the charge points in the UK. We also provide insurance and accident management services for EV vehicles, helping to keep British businesses moving, whatever happens.
Our ability to add value by keeping vehicles on the road has helped us to secure the UK’s largest van fleet, the Royal Mail, as a customer in 2024 as it undergoes its own decarbonisation journey.
Test and scale approach is driving innovation in our own fleet
The AA runs a complex operational fleet of over 7,000 vehicles. Our patrol force of almost 3,000 vans has very specific requirements, including being able to
tow a payload of around 2.2-tonnes. So far, there’s no electric van on the market that can meet these requirements.
As a 24/7 operation, demands on our vehicles are higher than ever. To balance our mission to decarbonise, yet fulfil these demands, we’ve developed a “test and scale” approach to introducing alternative fuel vans to our fleet. We’ve had to think creatively and act collaboratively, developing ground-breaking and innovative ‘test’ vehicles in collaboration with a range of partners.
Despite the challenges, we’re passionate about reducing our carbon footprint.
How we’ve approached embracing alternative fuels is testament to this. We launched our concept fleet earlier this year and these vehicles are already showing promising results.
In our fleet of diesel recovery trucks, our average emissions per mile is 0.79kg of CO2e. Our concept electric recovery vehicles are seeing between 0.21kg and 0.46kg of CO2e per mile depending on the vehicle. This is an emissions reduction of up to 74% on a per mile basis. These electric vehicles also completely eliminate tailpipe emissions of NOx and PM2.5 which we know to be dangerous to human health – particularly in densely populated urban zones.
The addition of Iveco eDaily CRT (Compact Recovery Trailer) Vans to the fleet promises to be a real game-changer. It involves a specialist conversion to allow proper installation of the AA’s compact recovery (CRT) unit (commonplace across our fleet). The eDaily CRT van features a twin battery set-up which delivers an increased range of approximately 160 miles with an identical 0.8 hour recharge time to the eDaily Powerload, when using an 80 kWh charger.
It includes a large passenger area to the driver’s rear where up to six AA members can sit in comfort around a custom-made table complete with cup holders and built-in USB charge points. The specialist conversion has been completed by Victory Conversions and included installing an up-and-over roller shutter door, allowing recovery operators to deploy the CRT safely. The heavy-duty CRT, specially adapted by TowPro Ltd, can carry casualty vehicles of up to 3,250kg and can also recover motorcycles, EVs and 4x4s (when utilising the innovative AA Freewheeling Hub).
Partnering with OEMs and equipment suppliers has been critical to developing our ‘test and scale’ concept vehicles. A key electric concept van introduced to the fleet is the Iveco eDaily Powerload featuring Roger Dyson’s innovative remote loading system which alleviates most of the manual handling for recovery operatives by deploying loading ramps remotely. It has a minimum range of 100 miles to cover its intended low-emission zone application. The 3,000kg payload is more than sufficient to carry a broad range of vehicles including SUVs. An 80kWh rapid charger can fully charge this vehicle in less than an hour (0.8 hours).
Our trials include electric, hydrogen and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) vehicles. At the start of 2024, we had 20 alternative fuel vehicles across our operational
fleet, including 9 electric vehicles that are being trialed in the field; Three HVO-fueled trucks being tested in the north-west, plus 8 alternative fuel vehicles being tested on site. We’ve invested in a total of 80 vehicles in test and operationally deployed including our new Ford Custom BEV and PHEV RSS Vans which went into service in December.
Pioneering work between the AA Fleet Engineering team, Volvo and Boniface has resulted in the exciting addition of the Volvo FE Boniface Slidebed onto the fleet. The vehicle can carry 6,000kg on its recovery bed and up to 2,000kg on its second car lift, as well as two passengers in comfort. With a range of 170 miles and a recharge rate of 2.25 hours when using a 150kWh rapid charger, this vehicle will be deployed on recovery duties in and around low-emissions zones.
Significant investment and a collaborative approach is transforming the make-up of our roadside recovery fleet with the aim to have 60 alternative fueled vehicles on fleet by the end of 2025, regardless of the challenges.
As a business, we’re passionate about reducing our carbon footprint. How we’ve approached embracing alternative fuels is testament to this. Alongside this has been our ongoing support for our customers as they make crucial decisions about decarbonising their own fleets.
As an organisation, we have a long history of advocating for drivers and this never stops. We’re actively supporting the BVRLA’s Zero Emission Van Plan, are a long-term partner of Logistics UK supporting van fleets throughout the UK, and continue to lobby for change, from addressing potholes to improving safety on our roads. For businesses, we also publish Yellow Papers to help overcome business challenges.
For more information follow AA Business Services on LinkedIn for regular updates
or visit www.drivetech.co.uk to source driver training and our yellow papers to support your fleets in 2025.
