UK’s largest EV Rally finds the perfect pit-stop

Leighton Buzzard has been chosen as the ideal ‘e-pitstop’ for the GREENFLEET A-Z EV Rally, the country’s only mass demonstration of the role that EVs can play in UK fleet operations.

More than a hundred EV enthusiasts will make up 19 teams driving more than 50 electric vehicles (EVs) to the wind turbine site at Checkley Wood’s Astral Green Energy Park, a facility capable of powering over 1,100 average Bedfordshire homes, in addition to providing truly green energy directly to electric vehicles.

The recently opened site uses market-leading technology to deliver ultra-rapid EV charging with an eco-friendly coffee outlet, all powered by the onsite 1.5MW wind turbine. It also has charging bays large enough to accommodate e-buses and e-trucks, the latter of which will be a part of the A-Z EV Rally fleet. In addition, a Battery Energy Storage System, a 2.1MW solar array and land for a new Exit Point from the National Grid are housed at the Astral Green Energy Park.

The stop will be a welcome break for the e-Rally participants tasked with navigating an alphabetical route of Great Britain that will take five days to complete and total nearly 1500 all-electric miles, resulting in the ultimate 'stress test' of EVs and the UK’s charging infrastructure that is so widely relied upon by drivers up and down the country.

A-Z EV Rally organiser Colin Boyton explains: ‘The Rally is now in its fourth year and its purpose remains as proof that no matter what the job, there is likely an EV that can perform, improve efficiency, save money and overall help the UK and business reach net zero at a time when climate change and energy prices are of huge concern to businesses up and down the country.

‘Our 19 teams each equipped with apps that now replace the old A-Z road maps, will take in many beautiful landmarks across the UK, but most importantly utilise the charging infrastructure on route with each charge point pit-stop throughout the five days alphabetically mapped, hence the A-Z theme.’

The EV charge points, hubs, clean energy projects and iconic landmarks visited along the way enable the teams to charge their vehicles and take picture proof that they are following the Rally route literally to the letter. These are then shared across the various social media platforms using pre-defined #Hashtags.

Boyton adds: ‘When planning the 2024 route, we wanted the e-Rally to be more of a challenge than in previous years. This meant increasing total mileage, taking the ‘narrative’ to more rural areas, showcasing eHGV technology, turning attention to the UK’s impressive charge point accessibility and all the while supporting and visiting clean energy projects and innovative charging hubs.’

The GREENFLEET A-Z EV Rally takes place 1st - 5th July with the final charge point located at ‘Zero Carbon’ Rhug Estate, a 12,500-acre spread of low-carbon innovation in North Wales. For the final leg, participating drivers head to the finish line located at the Chester headquarters of A-Z EV Rally headline sponsor Lex Autolease.