EV Leaders: Anne Buckingham, Managing Director, Evolt Charging

Anne Buckingham is the Managing Director of Evolt Charging, the SWARCO-owned EV charging firm that rebranded from SWARCO Smart Charging to Evolt Charging back in April 2024. After initially joining the firm as Sales Director back in 2021, she now holds the strategic position of Managing Director, a role held since July of 2023.

With Evolt Charging offering a turnkey, all-in-one solution to EV charging for its clients, and having installed over 13,000 charging points since the firm’s inception in 2010, the organisation is in a strong position – particularly as EV uptake in the United Kingdom continues to grow.

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We spoke to Anne to find out more about her career within the EV industry, her current role, and the moves Evolt Charging are making right now.

How long have you been working in the EV industry, and what motivated you to move to this sustainable area?

I’ve been working in the EV industry for over a decade now and am hugely passionate and committed to delivering a more sustainable future. I started as a Strategic Account Director working for one of the UK’s biggest utilities businesses, working with customers to help them begin their transition to EV infrastructure, and am now Managing Director of Evolt Charging, one of the true leaders in the space. It’s fair to say a great deal has changed within the industry over the last decade, much for the better, but there’s plenty still to be done.

Do you currently drive an EV? If so, what model is it, and what do you love most about it?

Absolutely! Proud to be a two EV household – we have a Tesla and a BMW, and through an off-peak renewable energy contract designed for EV drivers (thank you Octopus) and vehicle scheduling, we can see that it’s not only possible but easy to accommodate two high mileage business drivers by using home, work and public network charging. There are so many new models of EV out there to try and I take the opportunity to book EV hire car models that I’ve not driven before whenever I fly for business or leisure. What I love most is the pre-warming/cooling the car from the duvet/sun lounger; and the confidence in acceleration without time lag when it’s needed.

At Evolt, our entire fleet is fully electric. Whilst only a small part of our commitment to sustainability, it brings the EV driving experience to those that may otherwise have not yet made the transition and it’s something we’re proud of.

How do you feel about the current state of the UK’s charging infrastructure?

There’s a level of cynicism and skepticism that remains when it comes to the transition to an electric future, but we should be careful what we read in the papers! What I see, from both within our organisation and from customers, partners and industry peers, is an absolute total commitment to building the infrastructure as quickly as possible. There are, of course, challenges and obstacles that need to be overcome, including the ongoing challenge of available power on the grid, but as an industry we need to come together, continue to innovate new solutions and technologies, and remain focused on our shared objective of delivering a cleaner future for all. The facts disprove some of the myths as the rate of installation continues to rise to meet demand with more than 1,000 new charging devices being added to the network every month (Zap-Map data – October 2024).

How is Evolt Charging positioned to stimulate growth across this infrastructure sector even further?

Evolt has been at the forefront of the industry since the very beginning, and our growth continues to be strong and consistent. We recognise the different needs of our customers, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, and so we are continuing to differentiate our services and turnkey solutions across multiple sectors from EVs through to HGVs, buses, trucks and fleets. We are far more than just an EV infrastructure provider; our customer-centric approach, which includes a dedicated customer services centre, helps set us apart, working in true partnership to ensure our customers feel empowered.

eHGV uptake has lagged behind electric buses and vans. What can Evolt Charging offer to address the specific challenges faced by the HGV sector in transitioning to electric power?

Evolt Charging is actively supporting the eHGV transition through several innovative approaches and technologies. Legacy depots weren’t designed with the electrical supply demand of fleet electrification in mind and for some proposed new locations the grid supply is not yet available in full – therefore modular power outputs allowing for future output increases, Dynamic Load Management (DLM), Building Management Systems (BMS) to monitor and distribute demand and available supply in real-time and integrated Battery Energy Storage solutions are an important part of making the most of available power and locations reducing the need for costly grid upgrades. Tested with Volvo eTrucks amongst others, these scalable, charging solutions effectively address energy constraints, accelerating the HGV sector’s shift to electric power.

Similarly, eBus charging faces significant engineering challenges. Our project management and installation teams have devised ingenious solutions to connect power efficiently in 24-hour operational sites. Our ongoing collaboration with SYMCA, particularly in delivering pantograph charging solutions, demonstrates our commitment to overcoming obstacles flexibly in both the HGV and eBus sectors to meet today’s requirements and future demands.

What, if any, further moves would you like to see from the government, to help support the charging industry?

There are positives to be found in the government’s approach to support the charging industry, I think the Chancellor’s recent budget brought some movement in the right direction. The £200 million investment in 2025-26 to speed up EV charging rollout and support local authorities is a standout highlight.

That said, challenges remain first and foremost, making EVs more affordable for everyone. While tax incentives have helped company car drivers switch to electric, similar support for everyday buyers could drive EV sales to meet manufacturers’ goals, protect jobs, and accelerate the shift to an electric future.

Another pressing issue is the cost of public charging. Right now, VAT on public chargers is 20%, while home charging is taxed at just 5%. This unfairly penalises those without home chargers. Dropping VAT on public charging to 5% would immediately make EVs more affordable and boost adoption.

We send our thanks to Anne and the team at Evolt Charging for making this interview possible. For more information on Evolt Charging, you can visit their site here.

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