There was a palpable buzz at the recent Motor Transport Decarbonisation Summit, with everyone talking about Zenobe’s innovative powerskids and second-life battery opportunities. Laura Hailstone caught up with Ian Dennis, Zenobe’s Head of EV Fleet, to find out more about Zenobe’s offering.
With a track record spanning back to 2017 and over 120 depot projects completed, defining Zenobe is challenging; they’re simultaneously a finance company, a power company, and a software company.
“We’re a unique company,” agreed Dennis, “combining finance expertise, engineering knowledge, and power management to provide an integrated fleet electrification solution. I guess you could call us a ‘fleet electrification integrator’.”
At the heart of Zenobe’s approach lies a novel solution to one of the biggest hurdles to electric vehicle adoption: flexible power that circumvents the current lag in infrastructure.
Powerskids: solving grid connection challenges
A standout innovation on show at the Decarbonisation Summit was Zenobe’s “Powerskids” - portable battery systems that provide flexible charging solutions for fleet operators facing grid constraints. Dennis explained the technology’s unique value: “We can use batteries to supplement grid supply, effectively creating a power reservoir that helps operators charge vehicles even with limited grid connections.”
In a recent project in Dartford, Zenobe demonstrated this approach by connecting a Powerskid that effectively increased available charging capacity from 40 kilowatts to 190 kilowatts, allowing operators to charge multiple electric trucks more efficiently.
Second-life battery strategy: driving sustainability
Zenobe is pioneering a circular economy approach to battery lifecycle management. The company repurposes electric vehicle batteries for multiple applications, extending their useful life and reducing waste.
“We’re looking to develop a circular economy for batteries,” Dennis explained. “Our vision is for a battery to first serve six years in a truck, then potentially another four to six years as a static battery storage solution, and potentially even find a final use in residential solar storage before recycling.”
The company has already implemented this strategy with partners like Select Plant Hire, where they’ve deployed 20 battery modules into portable power skids used for powering construction equipment – replacing traditional diesel generators.
Flexible financing for electric fleets
Beyond technology, Zenobe offers innovative financing solutions. Unlike original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Zenobe provides comprehensive leasing packages that include battery replacement strategies, addressing concerns about long-term battery performance and degradation.
“We’ll build in a battery replacement at five years if you lease for 10 years,” Dennis noted. “This gives operators certainty about total cost of ownership and vehicle performance.”
Looking ahead
Zenobe continues to expand its strategic partnerships in fleet electrification, with one successful example being the work it’s done with Vertellus, a specialist vehicle contract hire firm. Through its EV Discovery programme Vertellus provides an electric truck to customers to trial and evaluate before having to make a long-term commitment.
Dennis explained Zenobe’s part in the programme: “Zenobe survey the depot site for Vertellus customers, advise electrical work required and provide the temporary charging infrastructure. The programme has been very successful with over 20 trials completed so far.”
With Dennis hinting at new collaborations set to be announced in early 2025, FCZ is undoubtedly going to have more Zenobe news to report on next year.
